How social strategy transforms brand experience
06 July 2020
For brands in the financial and professional services industries, social media is no longer optional, it’s a necessity. In the past, regulatory policy and compliance procedures often discouraged marketers from deploying social media as a means of connecting with their stakeholders. Today, however, constructive collaboration with compliance and legal colleagues empowers marketers to bolster the online brand experience for their audiences. The only obstacle now? The marketers themselves.
Kids in the candy shop
Social tech continues to pave the way for increasingly effective (and fun) ways to engage with your online visitors. But just because there’s a new social media channel doesn’t mean your brand should be on it. And what you do on the channels where you do belong, should not be a mindless rehash of the same content. Smart marketers should prescribe to the notion of repeat, reinforce and repurpose – but that doesn’t mean regurgitate.
Social media content should be driven by an overarching strategy, supported by channel-specific strategies. And all that begins with the answers to these questions:
- Who are you trying to reach?
- What channels are they on? (And critically: why are they there?!)
- And what do you want them to take away from why they’re seeing you on that channel?
Your just desserts
Our research for the three most recent Living Ratings reports (asset managers, professional services, law firms) reveals that less than half of the largest firms demonstrate a clear social media strategy. But those that do, are leading their sectors and reaping the rewards.
By pursuing an integrated, channel-specific, client-focused social strategy, you have the opportunity to improve online engagement, consumer sentiment and brand loyalty. Handled judiciously, you can express your brand values, distribute your thought leadership (where and when it’s relevant), and amplify awareness of ‘why people should care about your brand’. Social media ultimately succeeds as a people-to-people forum and a well-executed strategy will build the stage for your brand’s human side – the very capital that clients and other stakeholders connect with.
Living helps clients around the globe succeed in the hyper-connected world of social media. From strategic planning to creative execution, we provide clients with the ideas, words and images – as well as the rules and best practices – to ensure lasting engagement.
Hannah Gilmore, Brand Engagement Director
If you’d like to discuss how to strategise your brand’s social presence, please reach out to: Greg Hobden in London, Duncan Shaw in New York, or Gigi Yung in Hong Kong and we’ll give you a call.