The following are some of the most fascinating content marketing tactics (that actually work) that you can use to grow your business. Why are they fascinating? Because of how unbelievably easy they are to accomplish and master.
1. Repost/Encourage User-Generated Content
Though this may seem unprofessional or lazy in a way, reposting content that was created by users in relation to your brand is currently one of the best ways to help your business grow. With the rise of social media, people do not care about the commercialized content a marketing team curates for weeks as much. Instead, they would rather see the products and services that their friends are using.
The Power of Influence
Seeing pictures or Tweets or comments from people they know or simply authentic people in the real world (instead of paid influencers or brand representatives) makes people more likely to believe the claims and want to try it out for themselves. Authentic reviews that are well-formatted are very likable and trendy right now, and any brand that wants an easy, inexpensive way to grow should utilize this tactic.
Some brands that take this a step further even go as far as to encourage customers to create this content. However, in order to have success with this, it must be encouraged in a funny way in order for customers to truly want to participate. If it is not funny or there is not anything in it for them, it just comes off as desperate, and they will not participate. One example of a brand doing this in a funny way is Raising Canes.
Canes featured some large cardboard cutout signs of their brand ambassador at the time, Ice-T, holding an iced tea from Canes, outside of their restaurants. On the back of the cutout, Canes had printed “DO NOT steal this sign.” Then in small font, “But if you do, please tag us @________”. This small bit of humor made Canes more likable and friendly. It also showed that they knew their audience well. Canes is a fast food restaurant, meaning teenagers and college students make up a big portion of their audience. Writing this on the sign showed that Canes knew how likely it was some customer would steal their sign. Then maybe find it funny to post about. Overall, a very smart growth tactic for them.
2. Hyper-Personalized Email Campaigns
It is no secret that email marketing can be one of the big content marketing tactics for growing your business. However, it is also no secret that most emails go straight to spam and are never looked at. One big step to avoiding this and avoiding wasting time and resources is by making them hyper-personalized to each recipient. This can be easily done with the technology and resources available at our fingertips.
We all want to feel known–no matter how or what format that be in. Making emails personalized with people’s names, birthdays, etc. is one of the best ways a brand can build loyalty with customers. If customers feel like they belong to a club when they receive your brand emails, they are going to be far more likely to favor your brand and continue shopping with you.
3. Referral Programs
Referral programs are a great way to use word-of-mouth marketing in an avenue that differs from traditional social media sharing. They involve offering customers or members of your business small rewards or discounts. Only if they will invite three of their friends to the company as well. One brand that does this exceptionally well is HelloFresh.
HelloFresh works as a subscription service that sends pre-made meals to people. One of their deals is that subscribers can get something along the lines of a 50% discount. This is if they provide two friends’ emails to be invited to also subscribe. Emails will then be sent to those friends offering them a week of free HelloFresh if they sign up. Additionally, they are free to cancel at any time. This is a very ethical way of gaining subscribers. It is likely that people will want to sign up for those free meals and then forget to unsubscribe from HelloFresh.
4. Igniting FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
In today’s world, seeing what everyone is wearing, using, and doing ignites FOMO in consumers. This is one of the most powerful content marketing tactics for marketers to leverage. This shows just how powerful FOMO can be depending on what type of person you are. By creating simple posts online that make it seem like your brand is the newest and hottest brand to wear, people will want it. The key to achieving this is by looking to young people – no matter what you are selling. Young people determine what is in and what is not, in terms of actual products and formatting/style of posts.
Conclusion
In the long term, these simple tactics may take a little bit of thought and effort to effectively execute. But in comparison to major campaigns and productions, these tactics are some of the smaller steps to growing any business.
