At lonelybrand, we know how important social engagement is when a company uses digital marketing to reach its audience. That’s why when we see a company that is doing a great job of it, we like to draw attention to it. This time around, it’s Ford.
That’s right, Ford. While other automotive brands seem to relegate their social interaction to Facebook and Twitter, Ford has created its own community that allows Ford enthusiasts to interact with each other, share stories and even submit their own suggestions for improvements.
Ford Social has a great layout that is inviting and easy to navigate. It’s clearly become its own entity, too, and is so much more than a brand-based blog. Yes, there are plenty of posts about upcoming Ford models and company-focused stories (all of which fall under the ‘Our Articles’ tab), but there are other posts with lighter content that have proved to be engaging and continue to bring users back again and again. The ‘Your Stories’ tab is just that. Users get to post their own experiences with Ford and share them with the rest of the community.
If you find yourself without a story to share, but with some suggestions for improvement, there’s a section for that, too! The ‘Your Ideas’ section lets users submit suggestions for improvements for vehicles and then allows other users to share them or vote them up or down.
Finally, the ‘Videos’ and ‘Images’ sections gather items from Ford articles, users’ stories and Flickr to make it easier for users to go back and find multimedia.
Why do we like Ford Social?
Unlike other companies who have limited interaction with fans and customers, Ford has created an entire community where users can communicate with other fans and Ford-employed individuals. The blog (and site as a whole) promote the Ford brand through digital content and site design, but they’ve engaged readers through their mix of light and brand-focused content. In a way, they’ve created their own social network.
But they don’t limit themselves to just their own brand-created network. In addition to Ford Social, the company is also very active on Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites. And on those sites, the company continues the pattern of balancing promotional updates with lighter, more interesting posts.
Is there a brand that has created its own social space that you come back to day after day? Check out our social space on Facebook and tell us about it! You can also find tips for finding the best social media monitoring tools here.
