If your brand has a physical location, throws events or hosts any type of in-person experience, this post is for you !
Activating people to post in the aforementioned contexts is quite simple. It comes down to: If you 1) create a compelling reason for people to post, and then 2) instruct them to post – they will likely post.
Example 1: Fashion Week
Our team has worked with esteemed fashion brands during New York Fashion Week. We found that when you place a card that prominently displays the brand’s social media handle in each seat, people tend to post about the fashion show. But when you skip the signage, far fewer people tend to post.
Going back to our one-two formula, you can see: 1) The reason for people to post was a dynamic fashion show, and 2) By instructing people to post with a basic handout, people posted. It’s that easy!
Example 2: In-Store
For another instance, let’s say your brand runs a physical store location. You could activate the space for people to post by dreaming up a compelling reason for them to capture content within the store.
Perhaps you work with an artist to design a user-generated art experience. And, you instruct people to participate by snapping their own photo, then posting it to their social media using a specific hashtag plus your brand’s social handle. Once they post, their photo becomes a part of the art experience.
This idea could be a standalone experience, or it could be tied to a larger brand campaign. Furthermore, you can see how this concept could be a viable one because 1) people are potentially motivated to post by being featured in the art exhibit, and 2) you’ve instructed them how to participate, thereby activating them to post.
Example 3: Photobooths
Feeling lazy? One of the easiest ways to activate a space is by using a photobooth. People will use a photobooth as a light-hearted experience to capture a silly photo, so that’s really all the motivation they need in order to participate.
If you can prompt participants to include your social handle or overlay your handle onto the image, then you’ll be able to generate new awareness for your social media when they post. As a bonus, you could consider customizing the photobooth in some way to deliver a branded experience as well as providing thoughtfully-curated props to make it a more dynamic proposition.
Exterior Installation
You can also activate your space by creating an unmistakable installation that people will naturally want to take photos in front of.
For example, have you ever seen a design that an artist paints on a wall that becomes a famous selfie spot? Perhaps it’s the green wall in Austin that reads “I love you so much.” Or maybe you’ve seen a pair of angel wings that people photograph standing in front of, making it look like they have wings. Or you might be familiar with “the pink wall” in Los Angeles that is a popular selfie spot. In each of these cases, people line up to get their photo taken in front of these unique creations.
Obviously the above are examples of activating a space outdoors. (The last example of the pink wall is interesting because it was actually a brand that introduced it – the design is painted on the exterior of a Paul Smith store.) But it’s also possible to create a signature photo spot inside a space...
Interior Installation
Are you familiar with the photo installation at Catch restaurant in Las Vegas? People travel from afar to taste the restaurant’s fine cuisine but arguably more so to snap a photo in front of its beautiful flower wall. By creating a next-level signature photo scene, Catch draws people in to take photos in front of its trendy installation and share them on social, generating ongoing awareness of the restaurant – and a desire for others to visit and snap a selfie.
An interior installation can work as a long-standing attraction, or you might consider it for a single event or pop-up. Consider that having an unmistakable photo scene where people are enticed to snap a photo can help spread the word about the experience. You’ll just want to make sure you include signage in some way that prompts people to include your social media handle and/or hashtag.
Have fun fishing for posts!
And next, why not layer in additional strategy by learning how posts go viral – Click HERE to read our exploration on “How Do Posts Go Viral?”
Comments