Why You Should Promote a Brand Like You’re Friends With the Owner

by Carly Perriman

I recently made a purchase from a start-up bathing suit company created by a peer of mine. The reason behind my purchase was just to support my friend in her latest endeavor. When I got the bathing suit I was thrilled at how much I loved the product; it was the perfect size, fit and color. I took the opportunity to go straight to my social media and post a picture of the suit, in an attempt to drive traffic to her website. Keep in mind, she did not hire me on as a brand ambassador or give me this bathing suit for free so that I could promote her brand once I got it - I did everything as a favor. This led me to the realization that everyone should promote a brand as if they knew the owner of the company.

Social media and social media influencers are a large part of brand recognition amongst our generation. Odds are a business will flourish with the correct use of social media, especially when people promote the product through their own social media accounts. While websites such as Yelp or Google Plus allow customers to review a company online for others to see, social media can be especially lucrative in driving traffic.

Personally, I trust the people I follow on social media much more than I trust a stranger on Yelp. If I see bad Yelp reviews for a restaurant I want to try, but my friend just posted a picture at the restaurant ranting about how great it is, I will likely still try the restaurant for myself. This indicates how beneficial social media can be to companies.

I noticed that when I posted the picture of my friend’s bathing suit and tagged her company she received a few followers that also follow my page. By honestly sharing how much I loved the bathing suit, I helped her brand gain recognition as a trusted company.

Imagine how much influence each of us has upon the success or failure of brands. This especially pertains to start-up companies and mom and pop brands, as those companies often possess lower budgets and smaller followings. If we all had the enthusiasm of promoting a brand like we know the owner of a company, we could be a part of keeping a brand alive and thriving. Think of all the mom-and-pop businesses that don’t receive recognition on social media, sometimes failing because of it.

We are lucky to be a part of a generation with so much accessibility to doing well for others. People are able to help a company market their product or service by using social media. Social media an easy way to help a company with a lower budget, and is as simple as snapping a photo and tagging the company.

Next time you purchase an item, don’t be afraid to show the company some love on social media by tagging them in your posts. You may not realize it, but it could end up doing wonders for a company’s brand recognition.