The state of social media is dire. Our feeds have gone from looking like boutique trade shows to crowded neighborhood shopping malls, and influencers are more like coupon books than creatives. As New York Times technology writer Tiffany Hsu puts it, online, “advertisements are sometimes most successful when they're eye-catchingly bad,” and we're facing a “junk ad epidemic.” I'm falling into this.
As a corporate content creator and social media consultant, I see the degradation of both of these camps every day. In addition to having over 140,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram, he also runs a company called Myriad Media, where he consults clients on how to improve their social media game. My day job is helping brands navigate this slippery slope, and it hasn't been easy.
Focus on ROI
I think the problem is that the over-commercialization of social media is being facilitated by companies that are overly concerned with measuring return on investment (ROI). This is evident in their ads, which are often overly flashy, salesy, and loud, which often has a knock-on effect on their influencer collaborations. As a result of pressure from clients, many content creators have begun leaning toward clickbait to drive quick sales, rather than selling through the compelling narratives that make them attractive advertisers in the first place.
The fundamental question is how a social media marketing team works. They are increasingly forced by their companies to report relentless increases in sales and profits. As a result, they are losing sight of the big picture: storytelling and brand building are central to the success of long-term marketing campaigns.
Let's look back at a time when advertising was primarily done on billboards, television, and radio. There was no way to track how many people who saw an ad on the train or during a break in their favorite sitcom became buyers or customers. As a result, creative agencies needed to make their ads appealing to as many viewers as possible to convert them into customers.
Today, the landscape has changed. With the advent of social media analytics, businesses mistakenly believe they have a shortcut to accessible (and cost-effective) advertising at their fingertips. We're seeing attractive ads take over as a way for marketers to get the highest click-through conversions on their posts. These tactics (heavy discounts, catchy promotions, aggressive sales) can negatively impact brand image without storytelling and compelling narrative-based advertising.
After all, in the words of marketing strategist Seth Godin, people don't buy products or services. They buy the relationships, the stories, and the magic.
Instant profit
The problem isn't that click-throughs aren't an effective indicator of success. The problem is that they contribute less to a brand's survival and image than many people think. For example, a hard sell may result in a profit. Several sale. But what did that do to the brand's image? What kind of story about the company left an impression on the audience? What did they know about the brand's values, its history, its journey and beginnings? Do you know?
There are many other opportunities to convey the true meaning of your brand to your clients through advertising, including storytelling formats. And while these ads aren't forcing you to make sales, they will bring you sales regardless, just on a different timeline. When you create storytelling content for yourself or in collaboration with content creators, you will slowly build your company's persona. Ultimately, this information will reach people who share your company's values and, most importantly, need the products and services you sell, increasing the likelihood that they will become loyal customers.
For example, my most effective campaigns as an influencer were with videos that were so authentic that you wouldn't even notice they were ads. One of them was a multi-video campaign on both my profile and my client's account that doubled his company's monthly sales in a few months.
@mozzarellapapi Starbucks changed me 💅🏻 I'm a city girl now
♬ Original song Mozzarella Papi – Edo
Although it's not the same campaign as above, this TikTok ad we created for Starbucks worked very well. Perhaps because it mixed storytelling with humor and featured strong characters (Italians abroad).
This is where the technique of “sandwiching” comes into play, layering products, services, and promotions between compelling stories. Stories draw in viewers and ultimately convert them into customers. Although the direct increase in sales may be lower than a simple promotional video, when executed correctly, video after video, photo after photo, this method can significantly increase brand awareness and inevitably Sales will increase.
If this style of marketing is ignored, marketers will constantly struggle to survive in a noisy and ever-changing social media environment. They always get stuck building easy promotions and sales to advertise and promote online, only to wash and repeat once the last promotion loses relevance.
We were trying to promote the new experiences and deals available at this restaurant, and we did it here by subtly featuring it in our video blog.
reconsider meaning
Over the past few years, we've seen social media change dramatically. Apps like TikTok and features like Instagram's Reels and Shorts have gone from non-existent to gaining massive traction online. Yet, despite these changes and countless more, his KPIs for marketing teams remain largely (and strangely) unchanged.
The biggest mindset shift marketers need to make is to fundamentally remove the notion that social media marketing literally means creating online ads in the traditional sense. There are now many ways to increase brand standing and awareness without relying on commercials.
Embedding references to your product or business in your storytelling is one way, but there are countless others. Coco Mocoe, a marketing expert and host of the podcast Ahead Of The Curve With Coco Mocoe, says the most innovative advertising campaigns reach consumers indirectly, without explicitly explaining it to them. Explain that it's about creating a feeling that your brand is the best. .
“If I was trying to promote a makeup line, I would pay an influencer to use a subpar brand,” she explains. “I'll have[influencers]say, 'I couldn't get this brand, so I'm using this brand of camo right now. Let's go… let's see if it's the same.' ”
“It instantly elevates your brand,” she continues. “If there's something that's perceived to be of lower quality than what you're offering, that proves that you're higher than that,” her fellow marketers said on her podcast. gave her opinion.
influential influencer
Now, tech giants continue to control their organic reach in the hopes that brands will spend their precious advertising dollars on them. Brands, save your money. Because consumers value interpersonal social trust, content creators like me have a better chance of gaining valuable paid reach.
But that doesn't mean companies should collaborate with creators just because others are doing it. When partnering with an influencer, your brand's messaging is an important consideration. Companies need to identify influencers whose values and content align with theirs and who can organically incorporate their services and products into their content lineup.
An example of great influencer marketing by Malaysian content creator Jen Chia. Her campaigns often begin with a story that engages her audience before getting into the product she's promoting.
Still, if the goal is to quickly improve sales KPIs (which is perfectly valid in the overall planning of marketing efforts), working with a dedicated online seller is an avenue they can explore. But companies that value sophistication and storytelling should always invest in working with influencers who look for content that tells a story rather than a pushover, and the creators they work with directly reflect and represent their brand. You have to have a strong belief that it's something.
Do you think of yourself as a strong, sophisticated brand? Next, you need to budget some money to work with creators with loyal fans and clever stories. If you only create coupon code ads that users can skip with a flick of a finger, ask yourself: “Is this all there is to your brand?” Value?
