Storytelling is the new billboard printing; those who discover and put it to use are the brands that will still be relevant years from now. But just how sustainable can you make your story look and sound when advertising your business on social media?
The 3-year old research by Nielsen has demonstrated that companies that communicate their eco-friendly initiatives via the products they sell tend to see greater growth. The reason for this is that customers have become more environmentally conscious over the years and are now preferring to make purchases from “purpose-driven brands that promote sustainability”.
If you factor in the 3.96 billion people that use social media globally, you’ll recognize that publishing sustainability reports doesn’t cut it anymore. Not only is it plain boring but it’s also not targeted towards the current-day consumers that are notorious for having a short attention span and spending most of their time on Instagram and Twitter instead.
Here’s where taking it to social media channels equals killing two birds with one stone. You’re making it easier for your target audience to see what actions you’re taking to contribute to the greener environment and simultaneously helping them engage with your brand.
Curious to find out how you can appeal to your customers that hold brands resorting to sustainable promotion in high regard? Follow the tips and tricks below.
#1 Create campaigns that raise awareness around sustainability
When brainstorming about the types of marketing campaigns that would help you gain high-quality leads, consider doing so with sustainability in mind. This means coming up with ways to incorporate the burning issues your audience might be concerned with into social media posts. It’s often guaranteed to help your followers connect with your brand on a deeper level.
Video is a great format for a social media marketing campaign. A well-produced recording of how your product or service can help the customers decrease their carbon footprint goes a long way. It has the potential to not only persuade them to buy what you offer but also share the video with their pals. It’s a win-win.
#2 Give your customer the badge of a hero
Everyone likes to feel like they’re making a difference in the world. So why not give them the opportunity to contribute to a greener environment by supporting your business?
Show and don’t just tell how big of an impact they can make by purchasing from you. It can be that a certain percentage of their purchase goes to a wildlife preservation organization or that they’re minimizing the amount of waste that ends up in the landfill by choosing a plastic-free product.
The point is to demonstrate just how instrumental their input is to the collective fighting against climate change on community-based platforms that are social media.
Timberland set a good example by taking it to Facebook and Twitter to talk about how they’re sourcing leather for their shoes from environmentally responsible tanneries and that their footwear is made with recyclable materials, too.
#3 Show behind-the-scenes of your sustainable actions
Do your followers know the face behind your brand? And if they do, are you consistently reminding them about your ‘why’ and backing it up with actions?
Opening up about your motives for running a business sustainably can do miracles for your brand image. And thanks to social media, it’s easy for you to become more personal with your customers while still preserving the reputation of a company with a sharp focus and feasible plans.
Start with showcasing the steps your team takes to ensure that every business decision they make benefits the environment in one way or another. Use Instagram and Facebook stories for this as they’re the most suitable tool for behind-the-scenes content.
#4 Publish content that educates your audience
Your customers already know that your goal is to sell a product or service. That’s why you don’t need to be constantly emphasizing just how badly they need what you have to offer. Instead, focus on giving your social media followers some food for thought that they could use to become more environmentally conscious.
The 80/20 rule works like a charm here: make sure that 80% of the content you produce teaches, entertains, and inspires, and the remaining 20% directly advertises your company. This way, you’ll be able to convey that you’re not after sales only — your eco-friendly efforts are tied to a greater cause that’s bigger than your brand.
#5 Build partnerships with influencers and brands that share your values
Influencer marketing paired with brand partnerships can have a big impact on how your company is perceived by your customers. If chosen wisely, they will help you promote your business without losing the sustainable messaging behind the brand.
To avoid getting trapped in a scenario where the money is paid but the results aren’t delivered, make sure the values those influencers and brands hold match yours (i.e your business’s). They might be committed to shopping from sustainable brands only or be donating to charities that pledge to support, say, marine life or carbon-neutral energy sources.
If you stay true to your company ethos and partner up with like-minded organizations, chances are both parties will benefit from the collaboration.
To conclude
The demand for sustainability isn’t slowing down and neither is the number of people going on social media to shop. Users are becoming savvier and they’re now expecting companies to cater to their needs.
What does this mean for you? It means that to stay on track with the current trends and experiencing good growth rates, you shouldn’t fear using your social media presence for a positive change. You should rather view it as a new outlet for promoting your eco-friendly initiatives and seizing the chance to inspire others to join you on this sustainability journey, one step at a time.