Andrew Shipp loves to talk about social media content. As social media manager for GoPro, he’s got a lot to share. GoPro’s creative, versatile and robust approach to social media engagement offers a tantalizing view of what can be accomplished when a ferocious social media strategy leverages timely shares, visual content and a cross-platform energy.
Take a look at GoPro’s social creativity — and engagement. GoPro on Facebook and Twitter are just two platform examples. What can you learn from GoPro’s social media mastermind when it comes to getting creative with your social media engagement strategies? Shipp is all too happy to share.
Marie Alonso: How important is social engagement in a comprehensive, cross-platform social media strategy?
Andrew Shipp: Engagement is the main lens we look through when evaluating content. We want our content to evoke a response in our community and provide them with a super pleasurable experience when they’re out there in the social space.
It is also important to remember some content performs better on different platforms. Twitter, Instagram and Google+ are still very photo centric platforms, whereas Facebook is positioning itself as a destination for video content. So, be sure you consider the platform and content type for the highest engagement on each platform.
Marie Alonso: What do businesses not realize when it comes to optimizing GoPro as a creative tool for social media image awesomeness?
Andrew Shipp: Every business has a story to tell. Using GoPro cameras provides a way to capture those stories. Our suite of free software tools, the GoPro App and GoPro Studio, help businesses get that content off the camera so it can be easily shared across the social space.
Additionally, calling out your content as being shot with GoPro is an easy way to increase the reach of it. People are actively searching for GoPro content across all the social platforms, including us. We love to RT, Share and Engage with content that’s produced with GoPros and called out as such.
Marie Alonso: What’s more important, Twitter or Pinterest, to GoPro’s social media persona?
Andrew Shipp: Both are incredibly important to us. Check out our Pinterest. Each platform gives us the opportunity to reach different consumers, in different ways, with different content. Social is all about showing the right content, to the right people, on the right platform at the right time.
Marie Alonso: On Twitter, GoPro shares Video of the Day. What is the benefit of a consistently engaging social media incentive?
Andrew Shipp: The always on campaign structure is a big part of our social strategy. In addition to Twitter, Video of the Day is also shared on Facebook and published to GoPro. We also have another campaign, Photo of the Day, that is an always on campaign.
Having an always on strategy has been huge for us. It gives our friends and fans a consistent program to tune in to and come back to frequently. If we’re a little late with posting either Photo or Video of the Day we’ll see comments pop up, “Hey, where’s photo of the day?!” or “Is video of the day coming still?” These campaigns also give us the opportunity to feature and recognize awesome user generated content.
Marie Alonso: Outside of GoPro’s social media ascendancy, can you give us an example of a company doing social right?
Andrew Shipp: I love Me Undies. They produce a ton of great content and have their brand voice really nailed. I’m also a big fan of The North Face. They produce a ton of amazing content and use content first in all things social.
Marie Alonso: If you could share one bit of social media wisdom with small businesses looking to power their branding social strategies, what would it be?
Andrew Shipp: The value of organic posts is essentially gone. Every platform is moving to a pay to play model. Be sure to carve out budget, even if it’s small, to target your social posts to the right people.
Marie Alonso: What advice can you give to the small business that is just today creating social media accounts?
Andrew Shipp: I would make sure I have these questions answered:
- What are we trying to accomplish in social — engagement on the platform, website traffic?
- Who is the audience?
- What type of content is going to resonate the best with those people?
- What is our posting cadence going to be?
Answers to those questions about your social strategy should be pretty well baked.
Marie Alonso: When people think of GoPro’s social media muscle, what do you hope comes to mind?
Andrew Shipp: The world’s most amazing content. GoPro is the world’s most versatile camera and we want to bring our social audience the world’s most diverse and amazing content. This is a drive for every business, regardless of size — produce amazing content.
I want to see amazing content and your audience does too, so my challenge for all businesses — especially small businesses — is to really know your audience and create content they want to see, share and enjoy.
Image: Andrew Shipp, Twitter
Aira Bongco
I think the problem is appealing to a particular audience. It is one thing to create content for social media but it is another thing to catch a particular audience’s attention.
Buzzalot
Marie great post! it sounds like you had fun doing this interview! You asked the right questions, and Andrew’s answers were right on. ‘Always on strategy’ is a good one, Buzzalot is fairly new, but we have just started a “Motto of the week” post on Mondays on our FB page. One last thing, I really want to believe that what Andrew said about organic posts is not true.
GoPro is definitely on my Christmas wish list!
Just reading this post alone has inspired me and given me a couple of ideas – or maybe it was looking at the pictures. I’ve been holding back on really putting myself out there when it comes to social media, especially with the creativity and engagement.