Brands that publish educational content on social media have a better chance of pushing consumers along the sales cycle, according to a new study published by analytics software enterprise Sprout Social. Consumers also prefer brands to be honest, friendly and helpful.
The Q2 Sport Social Index polled the opinions of 1,000 people about the traits that they like to see in brands and how they personally react to the branded content posted and behaviours exhibited by the enterprises that they follow on leading platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Integrating video content into marketing strategies should be a top priority for marketers, as 83 per cent said that using creative clips was “cool,” making it the most popular brand behaviour on social. However, just 29 per cent said that they like brands to talk politics, while making fun of competitors and using slang was also unpopular.
Facebook is the platform where users most desire brands to showcase their personality, and Sprout Social noted that this is largely due to the fact that marketers can mix their content formats and target relevant audiences more easily there compared to sites such as Instagram and LinkedIn. Nearly half of those surveyed also said they like brands to show personality with videos on YouTube.
In terms of driving return on investment, brands should look to educational content, as 42 per cent said that it prompts them to make a purchase. Consumers are also swayed by interesting visuals, promotions, exclusive content and behind-the-scenes content, though “being responsive” topped the overall list.
The desire for personality is also dependent on the industry that a brand operates within, as 40 per cent said that they don’t like to see Government agencies showcasing personality traits on social. Consumers do want personality from enterprises in media and entertainment, consumers goods, travel and hospitality, Internet and technology and marketing and advertising, among others.
Infusing a little humour into content is also a great way to reach and engage with readers and viewers, but honest and friendly are the most desired behaviours for brands on social overall. Consumers are also less likely to warm to trendy or snarky personalities.
