Social media is constantly evolving—and so should your strategy if you want to compete in a crowded CPG marketplace. 

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Whether your brand is just starting out or you’ve been on social media since its inception, staying up-to-date on the latest trends, tools and platforms is critical to reaching your target audience and staying ahead of the competition. And with a little creativity, these new innovations can help your brand better understand and serve your customers.

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Here are a few ways to supercharge your social media marketing right now.

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1. Harness the power of apps to get more done in less time

With so many social media platforms available and the dizzying pace of content creation, it can be overwhelming to manage the details. Let technology do the work. Apps can streamline social media management tasks, save time, and increase productivity. 

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Have a challenge? Here’s a few apps that let you work smarter, not harder:

• Manage multiple accounts with apps like SproutSocial, Hootsuite and Agorapulse make it easy to monitor your accounts, respond to comments and messages, and track social media metrics all in one place.
• No graphic design skills? No problem! Apps like Canva and Adobe Express have pre-designed templates that make it easy to create professional-looking content quickly and efficiently.
• Take advantage of AI apps like JasperChat and ChatGPT to brainstorm and research social media content ideas. 
• Set it and forget it with scheduling apps like SproutSocial, Hootsuite, Later, Planoly or Buffer.
• Dive into the data with apps like Google Analytics, SproutSocial, and Hootsuite.
• Teamwork makes the dreamwork. Get your team on the same page with apps like Airtable, Monday, Asana and Trello.

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2. Streamline your process

Running a social media program is a monumental exercise in project management. From brainstorming to final approval, there are a lot of steps in between before a social media post goes live. Having a system that makes it easy for teams to collaborate, review and approve content is essential to keeping your social media content focused on your goals. The best approach is to identify your team’s pain points and look for solutions to make the process more collaborative, efficient and less stressful. Airtable is a great tool that solves all of the above (the best part…it’s free).

‍

3. Revisit platform profiles regularly

Set a calendar reminder or meeting with yourself to review your social media bios or profiles every six months, or less. During this meeting, take the opportunity to refresh your profiles to support campaigns or new brand messaging. Make sure your profiles are complete and up-to-date, including your logo, description, website link, keywords, and contact information. Check to see what’s new in this area of the platforms and make sure you’ve checked all of the boxes. And, while you’re at it…are there any new platforms your brand should consider establishing a presence?

‍

4. Let your fans market for you

UGC (AKA User-generated content) is a great way to keep your marketing fresh and your brand relevant. Find this content easily by setting up a social listening search within a social media management tool like SproutSocial or Hootsuite. Since UGC content comes from real customers, it tends to feel more authentic and builds greater trust with your audience. If you’re having a tough time getting followers to create UGC, try a contest or campaign with incentives that might encourage your followers to share content.

5. Cultivate genuine partnerships

Budget or no budget, building an authentic partner program can help spread the word about your brand while highlighting your brand values. Partners come in all shapes and sizes - mega-influencers, micro-influencers, brand ambassadors and brand partners - and they all offer unique value. While it’s best to invest in long-term relationships, it’s also important to regularly re-evaluate the alliances. Once your brand is no longer gaining ground with your partner’s audience, it may be time to move on. One way to monitor this is to watch for growth spikes on your brand channel correlated to when the partner posts.

‍

6. Build a private social media community 

Creating a dedicated space for customers can foster a sense of exclusivity, community, and loyalty. Facebook Groups, Slack Groups, LinkedIn Newsletters and Twitter Communities are all great examples of smaller member groups. These communities often have much higher social media engagement, since members are more likely to interact with content developed specifically for their demographic. Private communities are also a valuable source of feedback and insights for brands, as members are more likely to share their thoughts and opinions in a closed environment. Think of this as an opportunity to get creative and test ideas with your core audience. For example, run a poll in your private community to decide what to name an upcoming product extension. Community members will love seeing their feedback come to life on retail shelves - and feel even more connected to the brand!

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7. Be on the lookout for opportunities to improve

At the end of the day, if you want to optimize your brand's performance on social media then you’ll need to do more of what’s working and less of what’s not. Diving into the data to figure out what resonates with your audience is the first step to brainstorming an even better round of content next time. Turn your learnings into bullet points and share it across the team so everyone stays on the same page when it comes to social media goals. If your plate is full or you just need a fresh perspective, reach out to a consultant for support. They can infuse energy, provide guidance and instill confidence into your social media marketing program.

‍

And remember…change is inevitable everywhere, but especially in this fast-paced corner of the technology world. Rather than let it wear you out, take it as a creative challenge. All you need is a little imagination, fresh perspective and positive energy for your brand to soar to new heights on social media.

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Author Bio: Julie Brewer is a social media marketing consultant helping mission-driven brands in the consumer packaged goods, natural foods, financial technology and non-profit industries build strategies and executional plans to reach their goals. Get more social media strategy tips at https://www.theconsciouscollective.net.

Social media is constantly evolving—and so should your strategy if you want to compete in a crowded CPG marketplace. 

‍

Whether your brand is just starting out or you’ve been on social media since its inception, staying up-to-date on the latest trends, tools and platforms is critical to reaching your target audience and staying ahead of the competition. And with a little creativity, these new innovations can help your brand better understand and serve your customers.

‍

Here are a few ways to supercharge your social media marketing right now.

‍

1. Harness the power of apps to get more done in less time

With so many social media platforms available and the dizzying pace of content creation, it can be overwhelming to manage the details. Let technology do the work. Apps can streamline social media management tasks, save time, and increase productivity. 

‍

Have a challenge? Here’s a few apps that let you work smarter, not harder:

• Manage multiple accounts with apps like SproutSocial, Hootsuite and Agorapulse make it easy to monitor your accounts, respond to comments and messages, and track social media metrics all in one place.
• No graphic design skills? No problem! Apps like Canva and Adobe Express have pre-designed templates that make it easy to create professional-looking content quickly and efficiently.
• Take advantage of AI apps like JasperChat and ChatGPT to brainstorm and research social media content ideas. 
• Set it and forget it with scheduling apps like SproutSocial, Hootsuite, Later, Planoly or Buffer.
• Dive into the data with apps like Google Analytics, SproutSocial, and Hootsuite.
• Teamwork makes the dreamwork. Get your team on the same page with apps like Airtable, Monday, Asana and Trello.

‍

2. Streamline your process

Running a social media program is a monumental exercise in project management. From brainstorming to final approval, there are a lot of steps in between before a social media post goes live. Having a system that makes it easy for teams to collaborate, review and approve content is essential to keeping your social media content focused on your goals. The best approach is to identify your team’s pain points and look for solutions to make the process more collaborative, efficient and less stressful. Airtable is a great tool that solves all of the above (the best part…it’s free).

‍

3. Revisit platform profiles regularly

Set a calendar reminder or meeting with yourself to review your social media bios or profiles every six months, or less. During this meeting, take the opportunity to refresh your profiles to support campaigns or new brand messaging. Make sure your profiles are complete and up-to-date, including your logo, description, website link, keywords, and contact information. Check to see what’s new in this area of the platforms and make sure you’ve checked all of the boxes. And, while you’re at it…are there any new platforms your brand should consider establishing a presence?

‍

4. Let your fans market for you

UGC (AKA User-generated content) is a great way to keep your marketing fresh and your brand relevant. Find this content easily by setting up a social listening search within a social media management tool like SproutSocial or Hootsuite. Since UGC content comes from real customers, it tends to feel more authentic and builds greater trust with your audience. If you’re having a tough time getting followers to create UGC, try a contest or campaign with incentives that might encourage your followers to share content.

5. Cultivate genuine partnerships

Budget or no budget, building an authentic partner program can help spread the word about your brand while highlighting your brand values. Partners come in all shapes and sizes - mega-influencers, micro-influencers, brand ambassadors and brand partners - and they all offer unique value. While it’s best to invest in long-term relationships, it’s also important to regularly re-evaluate the alliances. Once your brand is no longer gaining ground with your partner’s audience, it may be time to move on. One way to monitor this is to watch for growth spikes on your brand channel correlated to when the partner posts.

‍

6. Build a private social media community 

Creating a dedicated space for customers can foster a sense of exclusivity, community, and loyalty. Facebook Groups, Slack Groups, LinkedIn Newsletters and Twitter Communities are all great examples of smaller member groups. These communities often have much higher social media engagement, since members are more likely to interact with content developed specifically for their demographic. Private communities are also a valuable source of feedback and insights for brands, as members are more likely to share their thoughts and opinions in a closed environment. Think of this as an opportunity to get creative and test ideas with your core audience. For example, run a poll in your private community to decide what to name an upcoming product extension. Community members will love seeing their feedback come to life on retail shelves - and feel even more connected to the brand!

‍

‍

7. Be on the lookout for opportunities to improve

At the end of the day, if you want to optimize your brand's performance on social media then you’ll need to do more of what’s working and less of what’s not. Diving into the data to figure out what resonates with your audience is the first step to brainstorming an even better round of content next time. Turn your learnings into bullet points and share it across the team so everyone stays on the same page when it comes to social media goals. If your plate is full or you just need a fresh perspective, reach out to a consultant for support. They can infuse energy, provide guidance and instill confidence into your social media marketing program.

‍

And remember…change is inevitable everywhere, but especially in this fast-paced corner of the technology world. Rather than let it wear you out, take it as a creative challenge. All you need is a little imagination, fresh perspective and positive energy for your brand to soar to new heights on social media.

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

Author Bio: Julie Brewer is a social media marketing consultant helping mission-driven brands in the consumer packaged goods, natural foods, financial technology and non-profit industries build strategies and executional plans to reach their goals. Get more social media strategy tips at https://www.theconsciouscollective.net.