Creating a New Path for Non-Traditional Social Media

Creating a New Path for Non-Traditional Social Media

Emily Mitchell, account coordinator

Big name companies all over the world are getting praised for unconventional social media. Sharing thoughts, pictures and videos is still the social norm but corporations and even celebrities are taking a new path; using the extremes of humor and emotions to engage audiences. Followers on social platforms always want new and exciting content to follow so sometimes throwing a curve-ball in your social media game might be just the trick.

I remember sitting in Case Studies class at college, listening to my professor preach about never wanting to be a social media coordinator. “How can you live with rants and disrespect flying at you from a screen every second of every day,” my professor would say. “You think learning theories is hard, try making the entire world happy through one tweet.” While this has struck some fear into me each time I post on Facebook, a new approach of responding to followers has taken a lighter, more personable tone. Some brands are responding with puns and jokes instead of taking everything so seriously, while others use strong emotions to leave their audience thinking about a specific topic.

Take Wendy’s for example. A worldwide fast-food chain has received a round of applause for its sassy twist on replying to direct tweets. One “roast” to a follower turned into everyone wanting Wendy’s to make a joke and tease them for all of Twitter to see. While the norm is to be 100 percent happy customer focused, this unconventional way of interacting with an audience on social media proved that there is no one correct way of managing.

I am in no way encouraging a company to be rude to customers, but I am encouraging different approaches and ways to respond online. See how this social media buzz was started by watching this video.

Do you believe Wendy’s made the correct decision?

Other social media accounts also have success by leaving the path of mainstream, traditional media including fashion diva, Chrissy Teigen and her sarcastic posts; Budweiser and Nike partnering together to take a stance on the underdog after the Chicago Cubs won the World Series; Mercedes-Benz and creating a #MBPhotoPass incorporating both YouTube and Instagram; and in a more somber approach, Sandy Hook Promise Organization creating a PSA video called “Evan” showing a student planning a school shooting without the audience even noticing.