Why Social Media Trends Are Like Expired Milk
Ah, social media—where fads come and go faster than you can say “Meerkat.” One moment you’re witnessing the rise of a hot new trend, and the next, it’s flatlining in the corner like last week’s leftovers. Just as marketers think they’ve cracked the code, a trend gets unceremoniously tossed aside, much to the dismay of digital marketing teams everywhere. So, what’s a poor marketer to do? Find the trend, ride the wave, and pray no one calls it a fad!
Marketers: The Fast-Paced Jesters of Digital Circus
Marketers have to make decisions quicker than a caffeinated squirrel—should they jump onto a trending bandwagon, or wait to see if it crashes spectacularly? Take Birchbox, for example, which decided to dip its toes into the live video waters as if it were testing the temperature of an overly hot bathtub. “If you’re on the marketing team, it’s your job to go to leadership and say, ‘Social media moves fast, we have to try things,’” says Rachel Jo Silver, a marketing maestro from Birchbox. Sounds easy, right? Tell that to the business suits.
The Risky Business of Digital Marketing
In a world where people are glued to their screens, live video is the golden ticket to making contact with consumers. Yeah, because who needs face-to-face interaction when you’ve got a screen between you? Live videos are now like the digital version of a handshake—if you don’t do it, are you even marketing? Birchbox, bless their souls, jumped on Facebook Live faster than most people run to a sale at Target, and they’re not looking back.
Live Streaming: The New Frontier of Beauty Marketing
Birchbox’s decision to embrace live streaming was driven by the age-old question: “How do we engage people who barely know the difference between a highlighter and a skin illuminator?” Silver explains that the Birchbox clientele isn’t exactly makeup experts. As it turns out, posting random beauty tutorials wasn’t cutting it. Video emerged as the celebrity of their marketing strategy. Who knew?
Two-Way Street of Engagement
Live video is kind of like a party where Birchbox brings the good snacks and all the attendees get to ask questions. Nothing says ‘engagement’ quite like an impromptu Q&A where you can market products while convincing viewers that they absolutely need that bright blue eye shadow. Silver emphasizes, “The most important part about that tool is that people can ask you questions.” Because nothing screams customer loyalty like desperately revealing product secrets in front of thousands.
Longer Streams = More Viewer Participation? Who Knew!
Interestingly, Birchbox found that the longer the live stream lasted, the better the engagement—a revelation akin to discovering that water is, indeed, wet. One of their all-time best streams, featuring chit-chat about social media marketing, clocked in at 40 minutes! And somehow, people were glued to their screens for an average of 10 minutes. That’s impressive, considering most people can’t commit to a single Netflix episode without zoning out!
The Afterlife of Live Streams
One of the best perks of using Facebook Live is that the recorded video sticks around like that last slice of pizza—easy to promote and ready for consumption anytime. Silver insists it’s about building digital momentum: “It’s bringing people into the world of your brand.” And let’s be honest, wouldn’t you want to invite your audience to your “brand world,” complete with fake plants and overpriced coffee?
Welcome to the Golden Age of Video, If You Can Call It That
In an era dubbed the “golden age of online video,” brands like Birchbox are embracing live video as though it’s a long-lost friend showing up unexpectedly at your door. With massive increases in digital video ad spending, it’s clear that online video is not a simple trend—it’s more like that relentless guy who keeps trying to crash your party. As Silver wisely states, “Why would you have a still when you can have some movement?” Well, unless we’re talking about my legs after a long day at work, in which case, let’s stick to those stills.
