With almost 300 million worldwide users, it goes without saying that Facebook has changed the way we interact, connect and converse. In fact, Facebook posts are up nearly 200% in the last year, revealing that, as consumers, the practice of logging in, and extending our social lives online is becoming as habitual as the proverbial morning cup of coffee.
Brands now have the opportunity to be part of the daily conversation with their consumers through fan pages, thereby leveraging those fans to acquire even more. But putting up a fan page does not a loyal following make: Friends in the real world are a two-way street and online, that rule remains the same.
A recent post by Ben McConnell on the power of Facebook fan pages as a brand builder has inspired us to look a bit deeper into the use of fan pages and how they blend with real-world marketing programs to create a buzz loop. This loop rewards consumers for engaging with the brand and brings it into their lives both on- and off-line. A spirits brand we think does a great job is Southern Comfort (note: this is not a Grow Marketing client) with a current fan following of more than 150,000 brand advocates on Facebook.
Here’s why their page commands a loyal, engaged following:
• Content co-creation
Roughly 70% of the content is all about cocktail recipes, which is a blend of SoCo recommendations and fans’ own favorites, such as the Comfort Coffee or Southern Margarita.
Fans also submit photos of the product in unexpected or surprising places. One user sent in a photo of a bottle tucked in the sand on the beach, describing her perfect summer beach vacation. The SoCo status update (and Fan Page administrator) thanks the user who took the photo, shares it with the plugged-in Fan Page audience, and then poses, “Where have you spent your summer vacation?” to the tune of more than 190 respondents.
• Leveraging real world sponsorships and events
Southern Comfort participates in many interesting and exciting events around the world, such as concerts, sporting events and selected club nights. Through their fan page they leverage the credibility of their participation and amplify the reach way beyond their on-the-ground audience, while rewarding those who attended the events in person with valuable recognition. They wisely translate the interest to data capture by offering a way to sign up for VIP events and get news via the SoCo newsletter in the future. It’s about coming back and making it feel like you’re the VIP.
• Contests
Never underestimate the power of swag – or cold, hard cash. And SoCo smartly asks for engagement in order to get a shot at that reward. Fans can enter to win $100 each week by providing a “Party Tip of the Week” that is used – and evangelized – on the site; this is a clever and affordable way to engage with fans and encourage them to return again and again.
• Soliciting feedback
SoCo is constantly asking fans for their thoughts, opinions and favorite “SoCo” moments to further incite participation and benefit from an informal focus group that reflects their most passionate target.
The power of online engagement? SoCo gets it. According to MediaPost, SoCo’s commitment to the digital platform through its U.S advertising efforts proves that this brand knows where to find their consumers.
For this brand, at the end of the day, all of these aforementioned tactics provide stellar content and tools for engagement while creating a continual buzz loop across all of their marketing efforts. SoCo’s smartest move (in our ever humble, but well-seasoned opinion) is that they recognize that consumers don’t separate their online and offline worlds – for them it’s just one big brand experience.
Tags: Ben McConnell, Facebook, Fan Pages, Southern Comfort
