How can you create social media posts that bring content clicks and, of course, profits? This will be the focus of today's article.

How to effectively engage customers in the digital world remains a mystery to many businesses today. It won't get any easier in the near future because a growing number of consumers are frustrated by digital communications such as online advertising. A study last year examined the potential of communication on social networks, which not only doesn't bore users, but on the contrary, makes them want to share the content with others.

The researchers came up with a new term in the survey - improvised marketing intervention (IMI), which refers to marketing communication initiated against the background of a major event that is currently taking place. A textbook example of IMI is the famous Oreo graphic tweeted from the 2013 Super Bowl, inspired by a power outage that stopped the game for half an hour. In addition to unexpected comments on the events that took place, Oreo's advertising used humor to encourage affection for their  product. This combination not only led to  their post going viral, but also increased their profits.

Further experiments by experts have also confirmed that humor and timeliness are the main drivers of viral social media posts. In another study, they submitted fake tweets to 800 participants and asked them to rate them for humor, timeliness and surprise, as well as their willingness to retweet. They found that the tweets which were considered funny and surprising but also timely, inspired much more social media sharing. Similar conclusions were confirmed by other partial experiments and studies. 

The research revealed five rules for increasing the effectiveness and impact of online content:

Use humor

Showing your appreciation of humor has a major impact on the quality of interaction. At the same time, efficiency is closely linked to timing and surprise.

Engage users in a conversation about what's going on

People in general, and Internet users in particular, have a desire to spontaneously engage in the events that are taking place. Timely responses to external events bring new fuel to the humor of marketing communication and provides more impetus for people's desire to connect with others through quick sharing.

Co-opt external events

Rather than paying XY crowns for advertising, you may want to consider publishing a humorous and timely (or unexpected) announcement about a regular event (such as the Olympics, major awards, etc.), or alternatively, for specific events with uncertain dates (eg speculation as to when the COVID-19 vaccine will be available)
You can find popular topics on social networks by hashtags (#).

Give the marketing team freedom

Many managers believe that it is best to plan a company's marketing message well in advance. The potential benefits of this approach are well known. However, this strategy can also lead to the brand being perceived as artificial and too distanced from the target audience. Give the team freedom and leave it carefully to trends and spontaneous conversations so that they can quickly formulate funny messages in response to these events.

Occasionally relinquish control over the content

In order for a team to respond to external events as they evolve, it may be necessary for companies to sometimes relinquish certain levels of control over communications. Keep in mind, however, that the marketing team may press the "submit" button too quickly. To protect themselves, companies must identify the right employees who will be able to publish relevant content in a timely manner that is not delayed by bureaucratic processes.

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