“Social media is a low-cost channel that you can activate on your own,” said food blogger and internet personality, Jerry James Stone, during SFA’s Instagram Live event, Tuesday. “It gives you creative freedom to express your brand however you want.”
When speaking about his approach to social media, Stone explained that he uses each platform in a different way. “Facebook is a lot like YouTube, I use it for mostly food content,” he said. Twitter, however, is about being “authentic and yourself,” according to Stone. “I get political on Twitter; it’s a way to be exactly who I am in life.”
Many brands feel pressure to cultivate a presence on every platform, but Stone advised starting small and expanding organically. “There’s a lot of value in doing something well. Focus on the thing that makes sense for your brand. If you’re really visual, maybe focus on Instagram. If you want to have a dialogue with your audience, maybe focus on Twitter. Also, know where your audience is,” he said.
For those looking to boost engagement, Stone suggested seeking out what your audience does engage with on social media and replicating that (in your own authentic brand voice, of course.) It doesn’t hurt to mix it up every once in a while, either. “I think brands get stuck trying to push the same message,” said Stone, “it’s good to experiment with it and try new things.”
Above all else, Stone advised brands to keep it simple and authentic. “The benefit of social media is having a platform to connect with your audience that is both wallet-friendly and not too time consuming. Start small and make sure it’s something you can keep up with.”
Related: SFA Trendspotters Talk Today's Trends; 5 Steps to Gathering Consumer Insights.