With the world already glued to their mobile phone screens already, social media has become one of the leading methods of modern communication. Think about the last message you sent to someone, it was likely using a platform such as WhatsApp, Facebook, or Instagram. This insurance of social media use over the years has also meant that people are more visual than before, which has an impact on brands and their packaging.
When you are planning a social media marketing strategy consider your packaging as well. As buyers turn to social media platforms to help with their purchasing decisions, they will likely see and add photographs of what products they have recently bought. If your packaging has not been modified and optimised for this, then you might be losing out on exciting social media marketing opportunities.Â
Not convinced you need to make any changes? Below we discuss why your packaging needs to be social media-ready.Â
Make Your Brand Memorable
By aligning your brand messaging with the colours and materials you use on your packaging, you will make your brand more memorable to users. Your design can help to communicate your brand message to your audience and ensure that they recognise it above others. Because social media is so fast-paced, having a bright and easy-to-recognise label will help to encourage brand loyalty.Â
Think about major brands that are instantly recognisable, such as Nando’s. If you were to remove the brand name from the packaging ot advertising, you will still likely recognise the brand. Your packaging should aim to do the same, especially when shared on social media platforms. By creating packaging that is eye-catching and easy-to-photograph, your products can be shared on social media and your brand will become more memorable.Â
Buying Experiences Make An Impact
Customers crave different experiences from the brands they follow, and this is especially true when it comes to the packaging of said brands. You will need to consider whether your packaging would look good in a YouTube video by a vlogger in your industry, how ti would look when photographed with a mobile device camera, and whether or not your packaging is smart or not.Â
Having smart packaging means that consumers can interact with your brand and your products at every stage of their customer journey. This will provide them with a memorable buying experience, which encourages brand loyalty and return customers. Consumers are also more likely to share photographs of your products on social media if they have had a positive buying experience.Â
Social Handles Increase Visibility
If you provide your customers with a great product as well as clever packaging, you will find that they are more likely to tag you in their social media posts. Your social media marketing strategy should trickle down to your packaging, such as including hashtags and your social media handles to the wrapping. These will encourage customers to tag you and use your hashtags in their posts, improving your social media visibility.Â
You can also look into personalising your packaging if you deliver products to consumers. For example, you could create a hashtag out of the customer’s name, which could lead to them sharing photographs of the packaging and tagging you in them. Placing your social media handles on your packaging will direct customers to these profiles and build your followers and fans.Â
Reusable Means Re-Sharable
When you create your social media marketing strategy, you likely think about where you can re-share your content, such as using Facebook posts on Instagram. The same thought process should be applied to your packaging, especially in terms of its functionality and design. If you use boxes as part of your packaging, look into using sturdier materials so that the boxes last for longer and that can be reused as storage for other items.Â
For example, you could make beautiful boxes with unique prints on them that people can use to store knick-knacks, jewellery, or even makeup. By doing so, your customers are likely to share photogrpahs of your reusable packaging, and their followers will re-share these photographs with your branding in them. By creating better packaging, you will have a better online presence, so be sure to look at what else your packaging can be used for.Â
Wrap It Up
In today’s day and age, brown paper packages tied up with strings are no longer anyone’s favourite things. People want exciting and on-brand packaging that they can share on social media. This can be highly beneficial to your brand as it will make it more memorable and recognisable, can help to improve your online reviews, and will ensure your products are shared and re-shared across social media.Â
If you would like to improve your social media marketing strategy but have no idea where to start, contact NetMechanic today to find out what we can do for you.Â
