The speakers:

Karla Hernández Zaldívar, Global Social Media Insights Manager at Booking.com

Connect on LinkedIn

Sally Bolig, Senior Global Employer Brand Manager at Etsy Connect on LinkedIn

The quote to remember:

<aside> 💬 “Be the brand that has something to say, not the brand that has to say something.”

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Actionable insights from the session

• [ ] Tip #1: Explore new conversational spaces that align with your brand values

Don’t just jump on any trend to be a part of the conversation or to look cool. Instead, find topics and issues where you can lead or add value. Make sure your messaging is relevant to your audience and communities - and remember, not every brand has to say something on every topic.

• [ ] Tip #2: Be genuine and transparent - authenticity is key

Consumers are now hyper-aware of what marketing and advertising activity looks like. Audiences are more attuned to it, especially Gen-Z. Be genuine and transparent in your communications, or you risk damaging your efforts to build an engaged community. Create content that people believe in, and that feels true to them.

• [ ] Tip #3: Let your audience see themselves in your content

Whether you’re building communities among future customers, investors, suppliers or employees, show the lived experience they can expect. Integrate employee stories from professionals at every level - not just the leadership team. That means featuring people with different working modes, locations and departments, and making sure you’re showing the diversity and inclusion your brand has to offer. Look for people who’d be comfortable in front of the camera, and whose career could be developed.

• [ ] Tip #4: Empower your teams to share content

Content shared by your people is much more compelling than content shared by your brand alone. Educate your teams in what they CAN share, and give them the assets to do it. Don’t forget to show them the results, too, so they can see the difference they’ve made.

• [ ] Tip #5: Find communities who will advocate for your brand

Building communities doesn’t happen only on your own social media channels - the right influencer can be highly valuable when it makes sense for your brand and your audience. Think about your organization’s mission and values, and work together with brands whose purpose aligns with yours to do good in the world.

<aside> 💡 Looking for an intuitive platform to create community-building videos in-house? With PlayPlay, everyone can create on-brand marketing videos — no editing skills required. Try it free for 7 days!

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The Replay