Keep it real (and authentic).
Brand authenticity has hit a whole new level of importance, with 88% of consumers saying that authenticity is a key factor when deciding which brands they support.
Today, we’re breaking down three moves brands are pulling to keep it real (and authentic) on social media.
TLDR: Help your brand become more authentic through three key moves: thoughtful influencer partnerships, strategic trend engagement, and customer-centric story-telling.
️⚡️️ Successful brands partner with influencers who can be authentic.
The real magic happens when brands give creators the freedom to be themselves and add their own spin on the original messaging objective. Plus, users can spot an unnatural partnership in a heartbeat. Let's break it down with a prime example: the Corporate Natalie and Dell collaboration. Dell partnered with TikTok star, Corporate Natalie, to promote the Dell Latitude laptop. Since Natalie’s content is all about professional humor and the work-from-home hustle, it was a seamless fit.
️️⚡️️ Successful brands are selective with trends.
When planning social opportunities, it's crucial that the content is consistent with the brand’s overall mission. Brands should seek quality over quantity to maintain the trust of their audiences. Take a cue from Amazon—the company jumped in on the hype around Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship by posting an IG reel promoting the Kelce documentary available on Prime video. Due to Amazon already offering the documentary on their platform, jumping on this trend just made sense.
️️⚡️️ Successful brands share authentic and real stories.
They bring in some humanity by sharing success stories and testimonials directly from customers. Financial software company, Intuit, has put customer testimonials front and center in their social strategy. On their QuickBook software IG page, engaging posts showcase how small business owners are leveraging Intuit's product to fulfill customer demands and score work-life balance, creating an aesthetically pleasing feed. Through showing these stories, they are communicating their product’s impact in a real and personable way.
️A compelling social media strategy should not just be about selling a product; it’s about creating real connections with your audience. The Ammunition team is here to advise our clients on how to prioritize authentic content in their FY24 strategies.
Striking Stats
⚡️️️ 59% of users say that UGC is the most authentic type of content. (Source: Stakla)
️⚡️️️ 75% of marketers use IG Reels for influencer marketing, compared with 57.7% for TikTok. (Source: eMarketer)
️⚡️️️ 40% of users consider product reviews on social media to be extremely important. (Source: The Influencer Marketing Factory)
Lightning Round: Team Updates
️️⚡️ The A-team celebrated Ammunition’s 6-year anniversary.
️️️⚡️ Ammunition welcomed Hayley Watford and Josh Hathcock to the team.