If you’re marketing your brand on social media, your goal should be to generate something called “organic growth.” What exactly does this term mean? To start, it can be helpful to think about organic versus non-organic vegetables. Non-organic vegetables have human-made ingredients or processes involved in the growing process. On the other hand, organic vegetables are grown without these additional ingredients. It still takes work to grow organic vegetables, but it doesn’t involve adding “artificial” elements.
On social media, your brand has two ways to engage customers. You can “artificially” engage customers by paying for ad spots. This isn’t always a bad idea. Paid ads can be highly effective at boosting brand awareness and establishing your brand identity. However, if the only engagement you get on social media is when customers click on paid ads, you’ll end up spending a lot of money to engage each customer.
The second way to engage customers doesn’t cost you anything. When you get customers to engage with your brand for free, you’ve achieved organic growth. What does this look like in practice? It might involve:
Posting visually engaging content that users enjoy and share
Writing articles that generate user comments and likes
Establishing an online community around your brand that nurtures discussion and relationship-building among users
Offering free webinars that customers choose to attend
Sending out valuable content in an email newsletter that customers subscribe to
When customers choose to engage with your brand because they’re getting value from it, they tend to tell others about their experience. This can cause your momentum to snowball. Organic growth is essential for maximizing your brand visibility while staying on budget. How can you achieve organic growth for your brand? We’ve got some proven tips to get you started!
Sell A Concept, Not A Product
Before the digital age, more advertising was focused on product features and value. Some of your advertising should still speak to these points, but you won’t achieve organic growth by talking about your product nonstop. Instead, your focus should be on portraying a lifestyle and image that resonates with your customers.
Andrew Brooks, the founder of Sinclair Global, has some advice: “We post funny moments in life, our weekend brunches with friends . . . . we essentially show them what real life looks like.” Getting your customers to associate an aspirational lifestyle with your brand is one of the best ways to generate likes, shares, and comments for free!
Welcome Followers To Online Events And Communities
In high school, one sure way to become popular was to host parties in your parent’s house. In college, you might have made more friends if you were living in a house that held social gatherings every weekend. The same goes for becoming a popular brand on social media! Your customers want to connect with each other and with you. You can meet that need by facilitating a connection.
How do you become a super host on social media? Free webinars can be a great way to get customers talking to each other and to you. Hosting discussion groups on social media, like a Facebook page or YouTube channel, can also help get you trending. Joining a social media group or subscribing to a channel gives customers a sense of belonging. You can foster interaction in these spaces by posting content that invites followers to have friendly debates or share their opinions. Asking users to upload personal photos or videos can also build a sense of community.
Solve Real Problems
Think about the topics surrounding your product, and ask yourself: what problems do my customers face regarding these topics? Clearly, they face the challenge of deciding which product or service to choose, and you want it to be yours. But your ability to solve problems doesn’t end there!
If you’re selling coffee, your customers might be debating which brewing method they should use. If you’re selling lawn care, your customers might be trying to choose from among the latest landscaping trends. And if you’re selling books, your customers might be looking for ways to balance their reading habit and other daily responsibilities. Think outside the box to discover problems your followers might have, and then present quality advice and solutions. On the way to solving their problems, your followers will come to trust your brand as a source of expertise.
Create Shareable Content
When customers share your posts on their own feeds, or send them in group chats, you get free press. What kind of content do social media users pass along? Some common types of share-worthy content include:
Infographics that tell a story in a glance
Step-by-step guides that solve everyday struggles
Videos that provide humor or suspense
Posts that generate interaction and comparison among users (think Buzzfeed quizzes)
Content that sparks controversy that’s not too personal
The last suggestion on this list should be handled with care. It’s important to take a position that generates interest and feelings, without alienating part of your customer base. Most people won’t reject your brand over a claim that pineapple goes on pizza. However, sharing controversial political takes may do more harm than good.
Get Everyone Involved
Your customers want to get to know your whole brand, not just you. Have you ever wondered how perfume is made, how tea is harvested, or how sweatshirts are screen-printed? Your customers do, too! Giving your followers an inside look at how your business is run can generate questions, comments, and interest. Offer your customers a glimpse at the whole process behind how your product is made, and let them get to know the people behind the brand–at every level of your organization.
Need a Strategy For Organic Growth?
If you need to formulate a strategy to grow your brand organically, get in touch with Personalized Creative today! Our team of marketing experts understands that your business isn’t like anyone else’s. Your customers, your brand, your product and your vision make you unique. Find out what it’s like to work with a marketing team that takes a personalized approach!