Here at TBA Outdoors, of course, we’re always eager to share our experience-driven insights on implementing a more effective outdoor brand social media strategy. And in this blog article, we’ll share some tried-and-true tips on how to more effectively market your outdoor brand on social media channels.
Consider these nine TBAO-recommended tactics, all geared toward digital marketing for outdoor brands, that can amplify your social media campaigns:
1. Clearly define your target audience
Before you invest in any marketing campaign, you need to be sure who you want to reach with your message, plus understand their interests and pain points. By knowing these things, you can better craft content that appeals directly to these consumers and draws them to your brand. (Note that while you may well understand your brand’s overall target audience, the target audience for any specific campaign may be a certain subset of that audience. And once you’ve determined the ideal audience for a paid social campaign, most platforms’ robust targeting capabilities will allow you to hone in on just the right consumers for your messaging.)
2. Develop a content strategy
By strategically aligning a brand’s content such as blog articles, interviews, videos, graphics and how-to tutorials with its specific business and marketing goals, a well-defined content strategy can help the brands better achieve these goals. To ensure that your outdoor brand’s content goes beyond random social media posts — and instead actively engages with your target audience at the right times and with the right messaging — create a plan for the types of content you’ll create, the channels you’ll use and how often you’ll post. All the while, keep your specific business and campaign goals in mind, then devise ways that your content can drive these goals.
For additional guidance on developing your content strategy, check out our blog article titled “Creating a Content Strategy That Drives Revenue.”
3. Choose the right channels
When it comes to marketing your outdoor brand, not all social media channels are created equal. Different channels have different user demographics and different content formats — as well as different strengths and ideal applications. For example, actively posting regular photo and video content with high visual appeal can be especially effective for outdoor brands on Instagram, which has nearly 1.5 billion monthly active users, while LinkedIn offers a great way to reach more than 930 million business professionals worldwide. To get a better understanding of when and how to use each channel for maximum reach and effectiveness, check out our sister agency Brandon’s “All Social Platforms Are Not Created Equal — Which Ones Are Right For Your Business?” blog article.
4. Highlight your brand story
To create true and lasting connections with consumers — and to (hopefully) turn them into brand ambassadors who actively spread the word about your outdoor brand and the benefits it can deliver — you want to let them get to know you and what you stand for. Throughout your social media efforts, make an intentional effort to highlight your brand values, mission and vision, and to showcase the people behind your brand.
5. Use high-quality visuals
With the possible exception of TikTok, where professionally shot videos can sometimes seem out of place, social media’s most effective brand-related images and videos boast a high-end visual appeal that immediately grabs users’ attention and interest. And while your outdoor brand should also regularly share user-generated content, most of the images and videos you share should ideally be taken professionally and edited by an expert. After all, most social media channels are largely visual platforms, making it important to use high-quality visuals that showcase your brand and products.
6. Engage with your audience
Social media is not meant to be a one-way street — in fact, what sets it apart from traditional forms of media such as print, radio and television is its ability to support immediate reader/viewer interaction, as well as to spur real-time comments and conversations. By leveraging this capability and responding to comments, liking and sharing user-generated content, and participating in relevant hashtags and discussions, your outdoor brand can better engage with its audience — and in the process build trust and stronger relationships!
For additional guidance on ways to generate more consumer engagement with your brand on social media, check out our blog article titled “11 Ways to Drive Increased Social Engagement for Your Outdoor Brand.”
7. Partner/collaborate with influencers
Often offering a large and loyal following along with the ability to promote your brand to a wider audience, many of today’s social media influencers are also highly trusted by the consumers who follow them. In addition, some cater to audiences in highly specific niches — including ones that may be a perfect fit with the people your outdoor brand is looking to reach. If you’re looking to grow (and who isn’t?), don’t overlook the powerful opportunities that leveraging influencers can bring for your outdoor brand and its social media efforts. For more insights on finding and working with influencers, read our blog article titled “How to Pick (and Keep) the Right Influencers to Boost Your Outdoor Brand’s Business.”
8. Leverage giveaways and contests
Few things can grab consumers’ attention and interest like the chance to get something for free. And of course, this is exactly why giveaways and contests are such a great way to increase engagement with and build excitement around your brand on social media — all while building your social following and/or capturing valuable information such as email addresses from contest entrants for future marketing purposes.
9. Measure and optimize your results
To better build on your successes — and generate even bigger ones moving forward — be sure to measure the results of your social media marketing efforts and optimize your strategy based on what works. Use social media analytics tools to track metrics such as engagement, reach and conversions, then adjust your tactics as you find successes and/or failures. As you hone in on the most effective strategies, your ROI and conversions will rise.
Social media is a powerful tool for marketing your outdoor brand. By implementing these strategic tips, you can more effectively market your outdoor brand on social media and build a loyal following of outdoor enthusiasts.
Could your outdoor brand use the help of a team of outdoors-obsessed marketing professionals to invigorate your social media efforts — and rev up their results? At TBA Outdoors, we’re here to help you create and implement a social strategy that will expand your social audience and grow your revenues.
Further, our fully integrated marketing firm boasts a team of seasoned specialists (and outdoors fanatics) who can cover all aspects of marketing for your outdoor brand. Some of those categories include social media, web design, consumer research, e-commerce, brand strategy, creative, SEO, analytics, public relations and much more — all in one place. And as certified brand strategists, we can also help you with the big-picture adjustments sometimes needed to put your outdoor brand on a course to long-term success.
To get started with professional guidance ranging from a simple website analysis to a comprehensive strategy tailored to boost your outdoor brand’s overall performance and identity, contact us today.
