As public relations professionals, we are constantly on social media. Whether it’s snapping pictures for our clients’ Twitter feeds or monitoring Facebook comments, we spend a huge portion of our day online. It can be challenging to come up with innovative social media messages, especially when you are responsible for creating multiple posts per day. Here are a few of our tried and true brainstorming methods that we use to create messages.
Holiday Spirit
What’s on the calendar? Often times, there are wacky, weird, but topical holidays happening each week, like “National Talk Like A Pirate Day” or “National Dog Day,” which are easily found through a Google search. These holidays provide interactive social media content. For example, followers can be encouraged to tweet their best pirate lingo or take a picture of their beloved dog to celebrate the occasion. Discussing these non-traditional holidays puts our clients in the social media spotlight, as the social media messages are shared or retweeted.
Fun and Games
Sharing trivia about products or the client’s history is another way to gain likes and followers. For our hospitality clients, we’ll use social media to share interesting facts about favorite dishes, like the creation of the first brownie or the most expensive cake ever produced. Other times, we’ll use social media to leverage attention through giveaways, contests, and exclusive offers. Recently, Twitter followers for @DDpvd, the Dunkin’ Donuts franchisees of Rhode Island and Bristol County, MA, were given information about Patriots giveaways and tickets, and entered for a chance to win a Meet and Greet with Patriots tight-end Rob Gronkowski. We were able to create buzz around our client that translated into media coverage, and gained many more social media followers.
Bitly
Using social media channels to alert the public about special deals or events is an effective way of reaching a large number of people. However, condensing the information into social media posts can be a challenge. We’d be lost without Bitly, a website that shortens external website links. It seems silly, but every character counts, so gaining a bit more space can be the difference between an informative tweet and a dud.
When in doubt…
Many of the most popular messages that we see shared and favorited have to do with everyday life. When we’re cranky on a Monday morning, or getting stressed about our holiday to-do list, we generate a message to reflect that. By making some of our client messages personal, we connect with our social media followers on a different level. Furthermore, throwing in relatable messages about the countdown to the weekend will make people forget that they’re following a brand, or a company.
Coming up with witty, creative social media content is certainly a challenge, but it’s also one of the best parts of our job. What are some of your best techniques?
– Team Providence
