Saved by the Team: Engaging Your Employees in Social Media Content Creation
Remember that feeling of anticipation as you waited for your favorite TV show to start, the excitement bubbling up as the theme song played? Shows like 'Saved by the Bell' were more than just a show — They were a weekly ritual, a glimpse into the lives of characters who felt like old friends.
And just like how the students of Bayside High School captured our hearts, your brand has the opportunity to become a familiar presence in the minds of your audience. In marketing, we call this building brand awareness.
Brand awareness is the catalyst for every conversion in digital marketing, specifically social media. It's all about making sure that when people out there think about a product or service, your brand pops into their heads like a neon sign that screams “We’re right here!” Because from that initial recognition comes trust, loyalty, and ultimately, sales!
But here's the kicker. Your secret weapon for crafting content that drives brand awareness? It's already in your toolkit. It's your employees!
By including your team in the social media content creation process, you're not just churning out more posts — you're humanizing your brand and building trust. After all, a good TV show isn’t just about showing up on screen. It's about being remembered for all the right reasons!
If you’re interested in learning more about consumer psychology and data-based findings related to social media and brand trust, I highly recommend this article by Sprout Social.
“But, Delaney! My employees are busy! It’s hard to wrangle so many people and ideas!"
I hear you loud and clear. Wrangling a team and juggling ideas can feel like herding cats sometimes. But here's the thing. Tapping into your team’s creativity and expertise will unlock limitless potential for your brand. Sure, it takes some coordination and finesse, but the payoff? Well, let's just say it's worth a Season 2.
Ready to rock? Take a deep breath, roll up your sleeves, and let's get into some tips & tricks for getting started!
Determine the Deliverables
Begin by outlining the type of content you want your team to create. Some examples include:
Writing industry-specific blogs that flaunt your expertise.
Capturing behind-the-scenes photos and videos “in the trenches.”
Offering a sneak peek into a “Day in the Life” through a video or an Instagram stories takeover.
Educate Your Team on the “Why”
As you dive into this process, it’s crucial to bring your team on board, not just with the specifics of approval workflows and brand guidelines, but also with the big picture of why they're being included. Be upfront and say something like, “We're aiming to bring more transparency into how our team operates” or “Our team has a lot of industry-specific expertise that our audience deserves to see.” When your employees understand the why behind their involvement, they'll be more eager to jump in and contribute.
Host Monthly Brainstorming Sessions
Allocate an hour every month to brainstorm social media posts and/or blog ideas with your team. It’s a chance to show them that their ideas matter to the collaborative process. I'd suggest coming prepared to these sessions with topics to fuel discussion, whether it's upcoming holidays, noteworthy observances, current campaigns, or anything else that sparks creativity.
Provide Specific Instructions or Expectations
If your employees aren’t trained in how to capture content, give them specific instructions (i.e. photo quality, vertical vs. horizontal, how to cite sources, etc.) We like to host lunch & learn sessions with our clients’ teams to educate them on social media best practices and assure all content being created holds up to the standard being set.
Make Content Submission Easy
Consider setting up a Google Form where employees can easily upload behind-the-scenes photos. This form will neatly gather all those images and their descriptions into a folder, ready for you to tap into when it's time to sit down and create the social media content calendar.
Offer Incentives for Participation
At the end of the day, we're all human and crave recognition for our efforts. Consider incentivizing team members for contributing to your marketing goals based on a predetermined metric (i.e. number of submissions, social media engagement, etc.) The reward could range from a gift card to some extra well-deserved PTO!