Want to create social media buzz without a million dollar budget? We sat down with three business leaders who have ran successful\u00a0social media marketing\u00a0promotions to find out what worked for their companies and got people talking about their brands.<\/p>\n
Here are three of their tips.<\/p>\n
1. Do something people will remember.<\/strong><\/p>\n Social media, when done right, can build trust and relationships between brands and fans. Geoff Alexander, president of\u00a0Wow Bao, an Asian-steamed bun chain based in Chicago, has received national attention for the company\u2019s knack for transforming negative reviewers into brand ambassadors, by sharing their most memorable moments.<\/p>\n In 2010, a customer on his way to a business dinner at Wow Bao tweeted, \u201cCan any1 tell me if it\u2019s going to suck as much [as] reviews suggest.\u201d Almost immediately,\u00a0@BaoMouth, Wow Bao\u2019s Twitter avatar and voice of Wow Bao, responded, offering him a free meal. A reporter with the Associated Press spotted the exchange, wrote a story about it, and Wow Bao gained a brand ambassador and national media attention with a single tweet.<\/p>\n Related:\u00a0In Search of Buzz: What It Is and How to Build It<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe little things are the big things when it comes to social media,\u201d says Dave Brown, director of digital strategy for New York-based experiential marketing agency\u00a0MKG, who has created buzzworthy events for Evian and NBC Universal. Brown\u2019s clients participate in conversations on social media that are important to their brand, like Evian\u2019s commitment to health and fitness, and engage with fans, such as offering an exclusive Q&A Facebook chat with tennis star Maria Sharapova.<\/p>\n Brown says businesses should offer something of value to fans, whether the interaction is in person or online. While your business might not have the budget to pull a celebrity, you can offer meaningful experiences to fans such as hosting a meetup or breakfast for top Twitter followers or Facebook fans to launch a new product or simply engage with fans of your brand.<\/p>\n Related:\u00a0How to Size Images on Social Media: A Cheat Sheet (Infographic)<\/strong><\/p>\n 2. Engage with your followers\/fans.<\/strong> At the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami last year, Evian commissioned an illustrator to capture images of celebrity chefs and behind-the-scenes moments at the festival and post pictures to Evian\u2019s Twitter feed. Brown says \u201clive illustrated tweeting\u201d was a fun and creative way to capture the spirit of the event and match the \u201clive young\u201d message Evian promotes. Brown enjoys playing at the intersection of the digital and physical worlds, and suggests businesses experiment with social media, such as creating real-life meet-ups for brands and businesses to connect with fans.<\/p>\n Related:\u00a07 Ways to Create More Engaging Videos That Rank Higher in YouTube<\/strong><\/p>\n 3. Tap into the cultural zeitgeist.<\/strong>
\nCompanies are expanding the traditional role of social media in exciting ways. Some brands use Facebook as a billboard (Wow Bao offers free food to Facebook fans on Wednesdays) and Twitter as a conversation spot (responding to questions and commenting on the latest pop culture events).<\/p>\n
\nAnother great example of engaging brand fans is Red Mango\u2019s launch of the Honey Badger flavor last summer. In 2011, Dan Kim, founder of the top-rated frozen yogurt chain tapped into the popularity of the viral video\u00a0<\/p>\n