Social Media Growth Hacking 101

Walking down Queen and Ossington after a meeting last week, we overheard this conversation:

Girl 1: So, let’s connect. What’s your Facebook?

Girl 2: Oh, I don’t have one!

Girl 1: *Eye Roll* “What planet do you live on? Who isn’t on social media anymore?”

The truth is, social media is taking over and if you don’t have an online presence, you’re likely a minority. From individual users to small companies and multinational organizations, it’s hard to name many brands who have not jumped into the world of social.

In layman’s term, social media represents the new billboards and TV ads of this generation. Initially, it wasn’t intended to be a form of marketing. But as brands recognize its strong potential to reach its target demographic, many companies now allocate a certain budget towards social media marketing strategies.

The Rise of Social Media Growth Hacking

The keyword “growth” aims to offer non-traditional solutions to gain new users or followers. To get the most followers without breaking the bank, growth hacking becomes the most sought-after strategies for marketers.

Can you guess who are the main proponents of social media growth hacking? STARTUPS!

The reality is, most startups have a tight budget and are forced to formulate marketing techniques to pass through traditional and often pricy practices. Social media growth hacking involves a lot of experiments, tests, and are always pushing limits with eccentric procurement strategies. It’s like dancing with the devil, frisking in grey hat technique where most established companies won’t deviate. It does not work around the system, hence the title “hacks.”

From this point, we may have tickled your curiosity, and to be called a “hacker” probably sends a shiver on your spine, but in a good way. Don’t deny it, we know you do! So, without further ado, we’re bringing you some quick and easy hacks that could explode your audience’s growth!

1. Tell That Story!

Can you remember how engaged you were after hearing a good story? Or how much emotions you felt from watching a good movie? Stories are powerful, engaging, and can come for free! Consumers get easily bored, especially if you feed them with a formal and corporate pitch. Nourish them with your brand’s stories and your own personality. This will make you stand out from your competitors and be a great way to gain their trust.

One way to tell an authentic brand story is through a video placed on your “About” page. It can be a few shareable facts about the conception of your brand and your employees. From here, you can explore more ideas.

2. Add a Splash of Wit

Remember the conversation we overheard? If you are girl number one, then you probably have seen a number of memes in social media. The word “meme” takes a new meaning in the world of digital media. These bits of visual content (mostly humourous!) have spread across the internet like wildfire and are SO popular on social media.

Whether for entertainment or information, memes offers something big to the viewers and they intend to share it with everyone. Just think of how many people will see your brand through memes if you create something unique and topical!

Diving into the meme trend is a no-brainer. Make a Meme can help you create your own in an instant, you only need to unleash your creativity and wit. ICYMI: Mashable talks about the top memes of 2017, here. What type of content do you think will be popular in 2018?

3. Use Visual Marketing

The power of video content on social media is undeniably easy and effective. In case you didn’t know, 64% of viewers are more likely to buy online after watching a related video. Visual marketing is just one of the many ways to engage and entertain your audience.

These are just a few basic growth hacks that can uncover the secrets of how you can move fast and compound win after win to crush competition and create extraordinary value.

Do you have your own social media growth hacks for your business? Are they effective? We will be adding more in the future and we would love to add yours, too! Add your insight in the comment section below.