The huge brands have huge secrets: the kind that can skyrocket you to success. But, as you can imagine, they aren’t too keen on sharing them. However, just because a strategy was thought up by a big brand think tank doesn’t mean your small or midsize business can’t use them. When we say a “big-brand approach” to social media, it is worth noting that even the smallest LLC can accomplish this kind of online traction. It’s all about strategy and positioning your brand as a viable resource online. Today, we are going to further dive into how huge brands, ones that we all know and love, find success on social. 

Let’s start by talking about the biggest hurdle: media share. Big brands such as Burger King or Hulu already have an international reputation to utilize. How could a start-up or a relatively new, entirely digital business (especially one in a crowded industry) hope to go viral? You may be surprised to discover that it happens every day—here’s how!

If you want to generate big brand levels of engagement, you need a big brand approach– despite your size. Try these five suggestions and see where it takes your brand.

1. Make good original content. Go on any social media account of a major brand and you will see a steady stream of original content. High-quality pictures, videos, and copy pack a powerful punch. When in doubt, use your audience as a source of content! Really, we’ve all been working too hard at this whole content production thing. UGC (that’s “user-generated content”) is so huge because it’s finally giving the people what they want: other people! Do not underestimate your followers–they know good content when they see it. Make sure yours stands tall on the web. 
2. Spend money to make money. Here’s the hard truth – you are going to need to invest in some social media advertising, whether it is on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. The good news is that you can quickly see its impact on engagement as promoted and advertised content has the potential to reach a large number of prospective customers.
3. Come in with an attitude. What’s the voice of your brand? Whatever it is, keep it consistent. We all know that Wendy’s adopts a sarcastic, witty, and brazen voice on Twitter which not only attracts millions of followers, but it puts its brand in a unique light against its several competitors. And they’re incredibly consistent and creative with how they engage in social media conversations. In short, they have a style guide to walk brand managers and creative teams through getting the tone just right. While your business may not want to adopt such a spitfire dialogue, you should create a unique approach that is all your own.
4. Understand what the people want. Take a step back and see what people respond to the most. Is it videos? Maybe Q&As? Maybe your audience is a sucker for memes? Whatever your audience responds the best to, develop it and you’ll continue to grow a following. 
5. Have a soul. While all brands have the common goal of making money and creating engagement, a bit of humanity can go a lot further than a promotional post ever could. Showcase an employee, contribute to a charity, show support for the people that make your brand great.

Few brands use the tool of social media to its fullest potential. Posting the occasional updates seems to be enough of a strategy, but it’s not going to be enough to elevate your content above the competition.

Social media is an amazing opportunity for your brand to present itself in a professional and attractive light. If you are trying to go for the gold and reach big brand levels, you need to try these five strategies.