8 Strategies to Freshen Up Social

Social media marketing is necessary for brands now-a-days, but keeping a "fresh" content strategy for these channels can be a bit of a challenge.

Just like anything else on the Web, social initiatives should continuously be analyzed and optimized based on the type of content and interactions that resonate the best with an audience. One way to reenergize a stagnant social strategy is to gain inspiration from other brands across the Web, including competitors. Identifying the tactics other companies are using to engage their audiences can help you implement new strategies for your own brand. Consider the eight strategies below as a starting point:

1. UPS

Takeaway: Superior Customer Service
Not only does UPS have a Twitter handle that is solely dedicated to customer service, but the logistics company also manages customer expectations by displaying the times that the service team is staffed directly within its Page's bio section. As if that was not enough, UPS goes beyond expectations by also including the names and faces of its customer service team on the Twitter Page's background image. This not only humanizes the team, but also makes the company more relatable to consumers.

2. Bark Box

Takeaway: Cross-Channel Promoting
If your audience has already liked your Facebook page, why not make it as easy as possible to follow you on other marketing channels too? Take Bark Box for example. This subscription-based company leverages all of the real estate available on its Facebook Page to promote its Instagram handle and its email newsletter.

3. Sephora

Takeaway: Hashtags on Display
When used correctly, hashtags can increase a brand's visibility on the Web. Sephora not only takes advantage of this feature in nearly every social post, but also highlights its most used hashtags on the cover image of its Twitter page. By doing so, customers can easily find relevant content as well as categorize the tweets they send to the brand with appropriate and frequently used hashtags.

4. Taco Bell

Takeaway: Sharing
Taco Bell not only captures attention with its witty posts, but the company also keeps its audience engaged by retweeting and responding to a lot of consumer content. This strategy leads to more audience interactions and a surplus of user-generated content, which is proven more influential than branded content.

5. Lowe's

Takeaway: Focused on Pinterest
A recent Piqora study reveals that on average, a pin generates 78 cents in sales. And if that is the case, Lowe's has more than $2,000 worth of content on its Pinterest Page. The home improvement retailer does not skimp on posting to the social network, offering pinboards for everything from gifts to holiday tips. And the hard work has paid off, as Lowe's also has more than 3.5 million followers on Pinterest.

6. Doughnut Vault

Takeaway: Real-Time Inventory
This Chicago bakery's doughnuts were just named the best in America. In order to share the availability of its high-demand product, the company takes to social media every morning. While this exact strategy isn't right for all businesses, the concept of "immediacy" is. Retailers, for example, can take to social to let their customers know about limited time offers or low inventory for a popular product. By doing so, consumers are more likely to make a purchase right away rather than wait - just as Doughnut Vault customers do.

7. Oreo

Takeaway: Image-Rich Content
An image is worth 1,000 words, which is probably the reason visual content has been reported to receive 65 percent more engagement than regular social posts. Oreo, for one, takes advantage of this type of engagement by posting unique images on a regular basis, which result in lots of audience interactions. Moreover, the images are typically timely, such as the Thanksgiving and X-Box One image featured below.

8. Charmin

Takeaway: Brand Conversations
An easy way to increase visibility on the social Web is by interacting with other brands or industry professionals with large audiences. Charmin, for instance, does this on a regular basis. While the company has had some fun interacting with brands like Tide in the past, more recently the company has been seen tweeting The Ellen Show, The Today Show and even Roto-Rooter.