The Power of Promotional Posts: How Your Business Can Benefit! Holy moley, can you believe that we’re up to number 6 of our in-depth look at the 7 types of social media posts that get results!
This week I'm talking all things Promotional posts.
But bore we get into that, you can read the previous articles below:
6 types of educational social media posts
5 types of behind the scenes posts
Inspirational social media posts: a guide for business
5 User Generated Content posts to boost your online presence
Now, onto promotional posts.
What are promotional posts?
Remember, when I say promotional posts, I'm talking about ‘organic' promotional posts here.
Organic posts are your posts that you don't pay for. A paid ad campaign is an entirely different thing when it comes to promoting your business and an altogether different topic.
Organic promotional posts are created to engage and inform your followers while highlighting the benefits and value of what you have to offer.
Unlike paid advertisements or sponsored content, organic promotional posts are not boosted or promoted through paid advertising. Instead, they rely on the organic reach of your social media platforms, meaning they are shown to your existing followers or those who come across your content organically.
Organic promotional posts are a great way to generate interest, increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, grow your client base and ultimately lead to conversions and sales.
But there's a really delicate balance when it comes to promoting your awesome products and services without coming across as spammy or icky.
So, how can you create promotional posts that hit the right note? Let's have a look at the process.
Step 1. Define the Right Ratio for Your Social Media, aka don't do icky
Finding the right balance of promotional to non-promotional content on your social media is probably one of the most important things to get right.
So, aim for no more than 20-25% of your organic posts to be promotional.
That means the vast majority of your content should offer real value to your followers, whether that's inspiring quotes, behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business, or helpful how-to guides.
Remember all these other types of posts are still promoting your business, services, and/or products. They're just not doing it in an obviously promotional way.
For example, if you run a boutique clothing store, you can create non-promotional posts like “Fashion Tip of the Week: How to Accessorise Your Outfit” or “Spotlight on Our Brands: What we're loving about our latest collection.”
These types of posts provide value to your audience and build a relationship with them, making them more receptive to your promotional content.
Then, that clothing store might do promotional post like…
“🌸🛍️ New Arrivals Alert! 🛍️🌸
Get ready to elevate your style with our stunning new accessories! From shimmering earrings to chic bracelets, our boutique has just received a collection that will make heads turn. Don't miss out on adding that perfect finishing touch to your outfits. Visit us today, or order via our online store, and embrace the power of accessories!”
The post creates a sense of urgency, urging readers to visit the store soon, as these highly sought-after accessories are expected to sell quickly. Overall, the post aims to generate interest, engage customers, and entice them to explore the boutique's new accessory collection.
Step 2: Keep Your Ideal Client in Mind
As with every piece of marketing content that you deliver, when crafting promotional posts, it's essential to think about your ideal client.
- What would make them hit that “buy” button?
- How can you share the benefits of your products or services in a way that speaks to their needs or desires?
- Why would they buy from you rather than one of your competitors?
By keeping these considerations firmly in mind, you'll be able to create promo content that both engages and converts.
Let's say you own a coffee shop, and your ideal clients are busy professionals who need a quick caffeine fix.
Your organic promotional post could focus on the convenience and time-saving aspect of your coffee, with a caption like “Rush Hour Saviour: Get Your Morning Pick-Me-Up in Minutes at Our Drive-Thru Window!”
This type of post highlights the value your product offers to your target audience and entices them to visit your shop.
Step 3: Offer Genuine Value
The best organic promotional posts are those that offer genuine value (and that's why knowing your ideal clients is important – what value can you offer that will make them hit that buy button?)
So, dependent on your ideal client, the promotional post could be a special offer, a discount code, or a freebie that aligns with your business's values and helps to build trust and goodwill with your audience.
Remember, people buy from people they like and trust, so it pays to be generous with the value you are delivering.
Suppose you have an online bookstore. Instead of simply advertising a book sale, consider offering additional value.
You could create a post titled “Expand Your Literary Horizons: Buy One Book, Get a Handpicked Recommendation for Free!”
This way, you're not only offering a promotion but also providing personalised recommendations, which adds value to your customers and clients' purchases and increases the likelihood of a sale.
Step 4: Include a Clear Call To Action
Once you've crafted your compelling promotional post, don't forget to include a clear Call to Action (CTA) to guide your audience towards the desired action.
A strong CTA prompts people to take the next step and engage with your business. Whether that be provide joining your mailing list, making a purchase, or sending a general enquiry. You need to be really clear about what you want your ideal clients to do.
For example, by including a specific CTA like “Shop Now” or “Buy Online,” you provide direct instruction to your ideal clients, encouraging them to take action and make a purchase.
Remember to use compelling language that creates a sense of urgency and highlights the unique value they'll receive.
CTAs are powerful tools to drive conversions and encourage engagement. Don't underestimate their impact on guiding your audience towards your desired outcome. So, make sure you include a clear and compelling CTA in your promotional posts to maximise their effectiveness.
Step 5: Experiment with Formats
When it comes to organic promotional posts, it's important to remember that there's no one-size-fits-all formula.
The key is to experiment with different formats and platforms to see what works best for your business. Some ideas to get you started might include:
Short and sweet posts with punchy headlines
For example, a bakery promoting their freshly baked bread could create a post with a mouth-watering image and a catchy caption like, “Warm, crusty, and oh-so-delicious! Our artisanal bread is the perfect companion for your morning coffee. Taste the difference today!”
The CTA (Call to Action) in the social media example, “taste the difference today,” is designed to encourage immediate action from the audience.
Overall, the CTA “taste the difference today” combines sensory appeal, urgency, and clear action, making it compelling and persuasive. It aims to entice the audience to visit the bakery, try their artisanal bread, and discover the exceptional taste for themselves.
Longer-form blog posts or videos that offer detailed insights into your products or services
For instance, a tech company launching a new smartphone could create a video that showcases the device's features, performance, and user experience. At the same time, the longer form post promotes exclusive offers or pre-order bonuses.
For example, the caption could read “Experience the future in your hands! Discover the extraordinary features, performance, and user experience of our new smartphone. Don't miss out on exclusive offers and pre-order bonuses. Click the link in our bio to learn more and be the first to own this groundbreaking device!”
The CTA is “click the link in our bio to learn more….”.
In this CTA, the emphasis is on experiencing the innovation and benefits of the new smartphone. It encourages the audience to take action by clicking the link provided, which leads them to a longer-form blog post or video.
The CTA also creates a sense of exclusivity by mentioning exclusive offers and pre-order bonuses, enticing potential customers to learn more and make a purchase decision.
Influencer collaborations or partnerships that offer fresh perspectives and broaden your reach
Collaborating with influencers in your industry can help you tap into their audience and build credibility.
For instance, a fitness apparel brand could partner with a fitness influencer to create content that showcases the brand's clothing line and promotes a limited-time discount code for their followers.
The post could read “Gear up for success with our premium fitness apparel! Join us on an inspiring fitness journey as we collaborate with Emily Skye, a renowned fitness influencer who knows what it takes to achieve greatness. Follow us and Emily Skye for exclusive content, expert tips, and a limited-time discount code to elevate your workouts. Don't miss out! Click the link in our bio to explore our collection and start your fitness journey today!”
In this CTA, the emphasis is on collaboration with the influencer and the unique value it brings to the audience. It encourages the audience to follow both the fitness apparel brand and the influencer for exclusive content, expert tips, and the opportunity to access a limited-time discount code.
The CTA also creates a sense of urgency by highlighting that the discount code is available for a limited time. By clicking the link in the bio, the audience can explore the brand's collection and take the first step towards their fitness journey.
Step 6: Measure Your Results
Finally, to ensure that your promotional posts are hitting the mark, it's essential to measure your results. There's a raft of fabulous analytics tools available to track engagement rates, click-through rates, and sales conversions. Use them! They will help you identify what's working and what's not, so you can refine your approach and content and continually improve your results.
For example, if you notice that videos generate higher engagement, you can allocate more resources to producing video content.
Unlocking success
Promotional posts can be an awesome way to drive sales, increase website traffic, and grow your customer base.
By keeping your ideal client in mind, offering genuine value, having clear CTA's and experimenting with different formats, you'll be able to create promo content that engages and converts.
Remember, with the right balance and approach, your promotional posts can be both effective and enjoyable for your ideal clients.
