Build your social media strategy around where your customers are, not where you think the cool place is to be. Clint O'Rear has a frank discussion with craft industry influencer Alexa Westerfield, Founder of Swell Creative Media, about using social media strategy to build your brand.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Brands previously told consumers what to do with their product, but now the consumer is telling the brand what they WANT to do with the product and what they ARE doing with the product.
• When finding creative people to collaborate with for social media marketing find those people that are already really good at using your products on social media.
• Where do you look:
  • #1 - Pinterest
  • #2 - Facebook groups related to your product category
  • Instagram #Hashtag
  • Emerging - TikTok
• When determining the best social media platform to focus on, look to see where people are the most engaged when you post something - don't go where you think it's cool to be, go where the analytics tell you people are engaging with you.
• Pinterest is where people go for creative ideas - it's not even social media anymore, it's a discovery tool. And it's where people are looking to purchase product.
• Idea - Implement links into your Pinterest strategy for people to go to your Amazon links or your website to purchase product.
• Older people are moving to TikTok. Locate people who are using your product on TikTok and engage them to be an influencer for you on TikTok. They might work with you just for free product.
  • Note - don't try to do your own TikTok videos. Use people that have back end TikTok knowledge and know how to curate the video to make it organic content.
• How to find an influencer for your product:
  • Know which type of crafter you're targeting - know your lane
  • Go find the crafters/makers that are already in your lane
  • Focus on Bloggers doing full step our projects
  • Also look for people active in Facebook groups for your category
• Facebook groups are replacing brand's customer service because someone can go in a room and ask questions to a bunch of experts that have used the product.
• Each brand needs a custom social media and influencer strategy - there's not a cookie cutter approach.

SUGGESTED ACTIONS

• Determine where people are engaging with you on social media to prioritize your target platforms.
• Find people on social media who are already using your products and commenting on your products and engage them as influencers to help you increase exposure to your brand.
• Start the process by looking for your brand or product category on Pinterest, in Facebook groups, and on Instagram using hashtag search.
• Find a Social Media Strategist to help guide you

You can reach Alexa Westerfield at swellcreativemedia.com or find her on Instagram at @swellcreative or LinkedIn at Alexa Westerfield.

If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at [email protected].

𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗫𝗔 𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗟𝗗 is a multi-faceted marketer, designer, and lifelong crafter. Professionally she's worked for over 15 years with craft companies like Tulip, Aleene's, Artbin, and DecoArt as a designer and marketing strategist guiding content campaigns, influencers, and retailer relationships. In addition, she's created viral crafted content for her blog theswelldesigner.com and has produced short form video and creative content for brands like Darby Smart, Association for Creative industries, and Alt Summit. Her work has been featured on The Rachael Ray Show, Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, and Today.com.

𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗢'𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗥, president and owner of Creative Sales Consulting (CreativeSales.biz), has worked in the Retail industry since 2000.

Learn how Clint and his team at Creative Sales Consulting connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries to build stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products.

______________________

Music:

"Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/