See Your Customer Engagement Soar with a Game-Changing Social Media Strategy: The Ultimate Guide

Source - Alt: A close-up of someone holding an iPhone with the social media apps open

It’s no longer enough for FMCG companies just to have a social media page.

Ten years ago, running a Facebook page with a once-monthly update was sufficient to stand out from the crowd. Now, with 73% of shoppers expecting brands to understand their unique needs and 71% demanding personalisation, it’s more than just being present.

For your business to succeed in the food and beverage industry, you need to engage the right demographic and be at the forefront of changing trends.

After all, you’re competing with an increasing number of tabs and channels to grab the attention of 4.8 billion social media users. To help you get the most out of your social media profiles, we’ve put together some top tips on using social media for real results. Let’s get into it!

1. Expand beyond local borders using food travel bloggers

Taking your business internationally requires an approach that opens your brand to a global audience. One of the most effective ways to do this involves using travel food bloggers since 69% of consumers trust influencers more than brands themselves.

By working with content creators that are popular overseas, you can tap into a previously unknown market through an existing relationship between influencer and followers instead of trying to establish yourself as a brand and build the trust.

Paid ads, unboxing, gifted items, and PR visits to restaurants are all collaborative efforts worth pursuing. Influencers can help you cross cultural barriers and appeal to a new audience with the benefit of the existing relationship between the two.

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

2. Use the right social media platforms

Believe it or not, using all social media platforms in the same way and at the same rate isn’t the most effective way of growing. Firstly, you need to consider your demographic.

Revamping your marketing approach to target Gen Z consumers? Consider TikTok your frontline. This platform is the playground for the Gen-Z audience, thriving on hyper-charged engagement driven by trending sounds, transitions, and rising trends. You should devote your most creative energy here given the Gen Z propensity for this platform.

However, while TikTok is paramount for engaging Generation Z, you should not discard Facebook from your marketing strategy. Facebook still holds a sizeable influence, particularly in targeting millennials.

It's worth noting that as per Statista, as of 2020, majority of Facebook users are between ages 25-34 – a demographic that mainly comprises Millennials. Ensuring a balanced presence on a platform like Facebook can help reach a diverse demographic, creating a versatile and well-rounded digital marketing strategy.

It’s all about finding the best platform based on hard data, not just jumping on an assumption.

FMCG companies are poised to leverage current popular trends such as 'What I eat in a day' videos. This content style is particularly prevalent and well-received on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram. The personal narrative style of these videos is perfect for showcasing your products in a relatable and engaging context, which can resonate with the viewers' day-to-day lives.

Your channels such as supermarkets and delis can create compelling content by assembling products into meal ideas. This can be extended to a value-centric series, such as ‘Feed four people for X$’, which not only highlights the affordability of your products but also their versatility and utility.

Specifically, YouTube is a fantastic platform for long-form 'What I eat in a day' videos or a series, due to its preference for longer content, and Instagram can be used for short, appealing snapshots of these same meals. Executing this strategy can lead to stronger engagement with your consumer base, driving both brand loyalty and sales.

But it’s more than just social media platforms.

Sure, the main social media sites are great for building a reputation, but appearing on review sites adds authenticity to your brand. A whopping 93% of consumers will purchase based on reviews.

Build up your reviews on platforms such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google Maps to overcome potential concerns your audience might have. Incorporating excellent customer service into your social media marketing strategy is vital to garner favourable reviews.

This approach not only addresses customer concerns effectively but also boosts positive public perception.

3. Advertise according to demographics and segments

While it can feel tempting to keep all your content as broad as possible so as not to alienate any potential customers, it’s much better to hone your content down to target your key demographics. When you broadcast rather than narrowcast, you risk appealing to nobody because nobody understands what your brand stands for.

Instead, perform market research to understand what your ideal customer looks like and how they relate to brands. This can also help you take a ‘less is more’ approach to your marketing.

It’s important to localise your content based on your audience location and how that might shape their expectations. If you’re a global food business, for example, the recipes you show on your social media page might vary depending on the culture you’re appealing to.

Multinational chains are great examples of implementing location-specific menus the caters to the local tastes. McDonald's, for instance, offers McSpicy Paneer in India, catering to the country's vegetarian demographic and local palate.

These localization efforts go a long way in establishing a stronger connection with the local audience and enhancing the brand's global appeal.

4. Overcome price sensitivity

In the food and beverage industry, price is one of the main barriers that hold customers back from making a sale as consumers usually opt for the cheapest product.

Luckily, social media offers an opportunity to cultivate the kind of customer loyalty that will encourage your audience to pay more for your products because they’re your products.

Haidilao Hot Pot has deftly navigated doubts about its higher price point through a masterful social media strategy. Haidilao’s WeChat and Weibo pages take a...

Download the Innovation Brief to read the full article!

Digital Food and Beverage Asia 2024 Innovation Brief