How to create buyable branded content for social.
Five things you can do to help make social media content that sells.

If you want people to buy into your brand (with their hearts, minds and wallets) you need to make sure you’re creating the right kind of content. Get it wrong and people could not just unfollow you, but stop buying you altogether. Get it right and you can make a connection like no other.
So in a world of constant conversation and fickle followers, here’s some ideas on how we (Integer London) create buyable content that’s valuable to your brand and audience.
Be clear on your approach
Before making any content, you must develop a strong social strategy. Here’s where you’ll need to define not just who you are as brand, but also have an understanding of your audience too. Define your moments of connection (and where to make them) so you can be effective with your content. Know when to start a conversation and when to join in. When to talk and when to listen. A good social strategy should include more than just having a ‘conversation calendar’.
Avoid the ordinary, like a picture of your product next to a pumpkin at Halloween.
Use your uniqueness to stand apart
We’re all used to defining points of difference for products and services, but you should do this for your approach to content too. Along with your tone of voice and visual style, this will ensure you avoid the ordinary, and often dull, posts (cue picture of your product next to a pumpkin on Halloween.) You’ll not only be much more believable, but much more disruptive and much more buyable.
It’s an approach we use for all of our clients, including the Cornish brewery, Sharp’s. We developed their brand essence and created a campaign that focuses on bringing adventure to their followers. We make sure that every story is adventurous enough to be on brand and stand apart from other beers.
Involve people in your brand stories
It’s sometimes easy to forget that being social is a two-way thing. So consider how to create the kind of content that involves the audience and doesn’t just broadcast to them for likes. Value action above reactions. Getting likes and being popular is great, but think about what you actually want people to do and help them do it. Involve them in your brand and let them know they’re part of your story. Like our recent campaign for Optimum Nutrition that featured athletes taking on a series of challenges from the brand—who then asked the audience to get involved too.
Make it easy to buy
If you want people to buy what you do, you need to make it easy for them to do just that. Sounds obvious, but it’s surprising how often content misses this opportunity. Your phone (along with the right content and mechanics) has the power to move people from inspiration to choosing to buying in just a few taps — so make sure you allow them to make that shift as simply and quickly as possible. Don’t treat the buying part as a separate thing. Your audience don’t.
Always know the next step
Like any media, social needs to be considered as part of the whole customer journey. So when you’re creating content, think of its purpose in the context of the bigger picture. Are you inspiring people, closing the sale or being there for them when things go wrong? Wherever you are in the journey, think about what came before and what happens next. Your content should always help connect the dots.
When approached in the right way, social media has the power to generate ideas that are involving, personalised and shareable. And as each channel continues to evolve, it can have a huge impact on how you interact with customers and potential customers.
If you’re doing it right, it should also lead to a sale, not just a like. As great social content can turn any moment into a buying moment. If you’d like to find out how we can help you make the most of your content, email emmathwaite@integer.com
