In yesterday’s post we took a look at how some luxury brands are setting themselves apart on YouTube. We were impressed with what we saw, so we decided to dive deeper and investigate their general social media strategies. The brands’ social media fans may have come for the name or the clothing, but they’re staying because of the engagement and interesting content. We found four tactics that Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana and Dior are using that brand marketers everywhere can apply to their own social strategies.
Live tweeting events
Awards ceremonies, Fashion Week and collection debuts are becoming increasingly social events. Even if you’re on the other side of the globe, often you can tune in by streaming webcasts. To take advantage of this increased exposure, some brands have begun live tweeting their events and using the opportunity to further explain new trends and even dish about celebrity sightings.
How to use it for your brand: There are probably national and local events that your brand participates in. Whether it’s a conference or a fun local event, take the time to post highlights and photos. Not only will this interest fans, if the event has a designated hashtag, it also opens up the possibility of making new connections inside and outside your industry.
Google Plus Hangouts
Luxury fashion brands? On Google Plus?! We were surprised to discover them, too. But Dior and Dolce & Gabbana are actually using this G+ presence to add some interesting elements to their social strategy. Dior has experimented with hosting Hangouts and has worked to promote them across all social platforms, directly getting fans involved. Likewise, Dolce & Gabbana is using the relatively new Events feature to invite fans to public fashion shows and give them all the event details that they might need.
How to use it for your brand: Dare to host your own Hangout! If you’re a brand that people can’t really interact with face-to-face (e.g. you don’t have a storefront to speak of), Hangouts are a great way to acquaint fans with your brand and spawn some really great conversations and feedback. If you do have a storefront, or the means to host an event, use it as an opportunity to invite customers, fans and others in your industry for an open house. Just be sure to include all of the details for the event so that fans can find them easily and promote it across all of your accounts.
Behind the scenes photos
A sneak peek at things to come always drums up a lot of anticipation and interest. Burberry and Dior have managed to create interest in their new collections while giving fans a look at what goes on behind the scenes. A candid shot of Romeo Beckham or a shot of a sophisticated model in a less-than-sophisticated studio setting gives a personal touch to brands that, perhaps, can seem a little out of touch.
How to use it for your brand: Candid and behind-the-scenes shots can come from just about anywhere. Use your imagination and your brand for inspiration. Do you have a team meeting every Friday? Snap a shot of your manager in action. Is it a holiday? Snap a shot of your coworkers enjoying the festivities. Are you launching a new product? Take an abstract shot of it and then ask fans to guess what it is. Get creative! (But be sure to get the ‘okay’ from coworkers before posting any candid pics.)
Unified imagery across platforms
Having unified imagery across social platforms gives Dolce & Gabbana, Dior and Burberry a unified and easily identifiable presence. Themed imagery gives the sense that the accounts work hand-in-hand with one another, while adding impact to very visual digital spaces.
How to use it for your brand: Take the time to discuss the kind of visual impact you want to communicate with your brand. Once that’s been determined, create bright, attractive, hi-res imagery that will serve you well across all social platforms. Do a little research to determine the dimensions for photos and backgrounds for every social site you have a presence on, and then carefully craft imagery that will adhere to those dimensions. Like Dolce & Gabbana’s example above, you don’t need to use the exact same imagery for every site, but having a clear theme and clear similarities give that sense of consistency that you want.
Still want more? Find more social media marketing tactics in our helpful guides and articles.
