In addition to being absolutely beautiful, butterflies are also critical pollinators. They spread pollen from plant to plant, and the result of all that flitting about is the production of seeds. Those seeds form into fruit, which exponentially creates more seeds from which new plants grow.
If you think about it, this process isn't all that different from the way an inbound marketing strategy works!
Consider this: Certain factors must be in place for butterflies to choose a host flower to land upon to start the pollination process. Such host flowers must be colorful, bathed in sunshine, and produce tasty nectar, and native plants typically attract more butterflies than non-native plants.
These ideas about what inspires natural butterfly activity are important to keep in mind when it comes to enhancing your company's social media interactions.
How to Attract an Assortment of "Butterflies" With Your Inbound Marketing Strategy
If your social media outlets only put forth a bloom here and there every once in a while, or if they send out the same types of blooms all the time without any color or flavor variety, it makes sense that the social butterflies you want to attract will flit over to see what's growing in somebody else's social media garden. On the flip side, a lush and bountiful garden will provide enough pollen and nectar to keep butterflies – both new and old – satisfied and coming back for more.
It's time to produce social media content that plants the "seeds" of engagement and sharing necessary for your business to bear fruit. Let's take a look at how you can use proven inbound marketing strategies to make a social media garden bloom in a way that attracts regular visits from all manners of "species."
- BE COLORFUL. Think about the social media posts or Tweets you tend to favorite, share, or like the most. Odds are they are colorful. Not only that, but they also speak to the wide range of your personal interests, wants and needs. The more colorful and varied your company's interactions are, the more new visitors you'll attract.
- BATHE YOUR VISITORS IN SUNSHINE. Always stay in the light – literally and figuratively. Butterflies rarely feed in the dark and shady parts of the garden. Be positive and helpful. Let your social media actions have a warming effect on all who interact with them. The more personal you are, the warmer that glow will feel. Once you've netted a newbie, make the effort to shine the light a little longer. Personalize responses, comments, and questions so visitors' wings flutter a little faster. It will keep them coming back and encourage them to bring new friends with them.
- PRODUCE JUICY, FLAVORFUL CONTENT. Who wants to drink the same nectar everyday? There are nectars for every mood and taste, and your inbound marketing strategy is wise to keep that in mind when optimizing social media accounts. First, make sure you have active accounts across the spectrum – including Google Plus, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest. These comprise everyone's favorite flowers. Then, keep posts lively and interesting, original but authentic to your brand.
- STICK WITH NATIVES AND USE EXOTICS SPARINGLY. Rather than trying to plant every flower known to mankind in the hopes of attracting everyone, take time to figure out which butterfly species (we call them "marketing personas") are your most realistic target market. Then plant your garden with lots of content that speaks right to them – intuitively and literally – segmenting your interactions appropriately. Sure, a rare species might be drawn in by an exotic post every once in a while, but sticking with what you know and making it smell great is always the best bet.
