Have you ever looked at somebody\u2019s amazing travel photos and felt as if you too could enjoy such joy, if only you had the budget, resources, and time? If you\u2019re a small business owner, this can feel similar to the experience of seeing a huge company\u2019s extremely successful viral marketing campaign. As a smaller business, you may feel as if these mammoth successes are out of your reach, but I\u2019m here to tell you that this simply isn\u2019t the case.<\/p>\n
Flashy gestures and fancy budgets can of course add a certain pizzazz to any campaign. But there are core strategies that any business\u2014big or small\u2014can apply to their own marketing efforts. To see the ways big brands are using social media, we took a look at past and present nominees for the Shorty Awards, which recognize the best of social media. As a great wealth of examples showing social media done right, the key strategies of the following big brands can be applied to any small business\u2019 campaigns. As the following shows, solid social media principles can be universally applied\u2014regardless of whether your budget is \u2018baller\u2019 or smaller.<\/p>\n
Core Strategy: Social customer care<\/b><\/p>\n
Platform(s) used: Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram<\/b><\/p>\n
Anyone who\u2019s ever been stranded at the airport, had a flight delayed, or lost their luggage, knows that information is power in these types of frustrating situations. Southwest Airlines\u2014touted as \u201cthe most loved airline in social media\u201d\u2014knows this, and therefore counts social media customer service as a key element in their business model. As the first airline worldwide to reach\u00a03 million fans on Facebook<\/a>, their customers\u2019 dedication is no doubt encouraged by Southwest\u2019s proven commitment to their passengers.<\/p>\n Using a social listening center, Southwest Airlines made hearing directly from their customers, employees, fans, and the media, a priority. As they explain in their\u00a0case study<\/a>, \u201cOur Customer Care Team has provided outstanding service throughout weather events and crisis situations, helping our Customers get where they need to go or providing answers to their questions\u2014all via Twitter and Facebook.\u201d<\/p>\n\n