Posted by Craig Maloney | November 17, 2017 | Filed under: Social Media
There’s no doubt as to the impact social media has on our daily lives. A quick scan of the headlines reveals plenty of articles about how Instagram can diagnose depression, or how Facebook can impact mental health—sure signs of social media’s sway over our lives, our emotions, our sense of wellbeing.
But why is social media so powerful? Why are we all so glued to it? And why do we allow it to have such a significant impact over our emotions? These questions aren’t just interesting from a psychological standpoint. They also have broad implications for CMOs and marketing decision-makers.
Social Media Meets Our Emotional Needs
There is some extensive and ongoing research that seeks to answer these critical questions. The long and short of it? Social media taps into some of the most innate and universal emotional needs. Specifically, social media helps address these four emotional longings:
- The need to feel connected to other human beings.
- The need to experience variety and newness.
- The need to feel like a unique, individual person.
- The need to feel comforted and affirmed.
CMOs and marketing decision-makers can leverage social media most effectively when they tap into these basic emotional needs, yet it’s critical to do so in a way that is positive—not in a way that contributes to some of the more damaging aspects of social media.
How to Use Social Media for Good
To use social media’s emotional connectivity in a way that’s both positive and effective, we recommend some basic principles:
Consider ways in which your social media presence can satisfy these emotional needs. Give your social media followers a reason to connect with you and to engage with your content. Connect to them on an emotional level, addressing their needs, values, and challenges.
Present a cohesive experience. Make sure that your brand stands for certain values and evokes particular, positive emotions—whether encountered on Facebook, Snapchat, LinkedIn, etc.
Make it easy and intuitive to connect with you. Don’t make it difficult or laborious for people to connect with your brand on social media. Make sure that when people ask for something on a social channel, you’re there to answer them promptly and satisfyingly.
Turn Social Media into a Conduit for Connection
Connecting with people on an emotional level is a great way to earn their trust and their loyalty, of course—which is why it’s something marketers can’t ignore.
For help understanding the emotional dimension of social media, or formulating a proactive strategy, we welcome you to contact us. We’ll walk you through some data points and show you how we can help you develop and execute an effective social media plan. Reach out to EverythingOnline, a leading Orange County search marketing firm, today.
