Social media has rapidly transformed the consumer journey. It has become the dominant medium for research, validation, and purchase decisions. In the past, Telecommunications companies have relied on traditional media as a means of advertising. But in order to keep up with the evolution of today’s digital landscape, they now need to meet their consumers where they are — on social media. Becoming a social-first company is no longer an option; it’s a requirement. Telcos should see social media as the first entry point to connect with their customer base.
The end results of holding on to dated marketing strategies are clear. Many telecom companies, failing to harness the power of social media, are underutilizing their own community platforms and neglecting the significant potential of collaborations with influencers and creative partnerships. In short, they are leaving resources untapped and missing out on effectively reaching their customer base.
The shortcomings of traditional marketing channels
As it stands, telcos are currently lagging behind other industries when engaging with customers on social platforms. The decline in Linear TV advertising mirrors its diminishing impact with the cord cutter generations. Gen Z spends a record-breakingly low amount of time watching TV, preferring video games and social media as their primary source of entertainment. Today, traditional media is a direct competitor to scrolling TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube feeds — and with Millenials and Gen Z using social media for messaging, shopping, research, news, and education as well as entertainment, the competition is far from fierce.
Competitors aside, TV advertising itself offers a limited window in which to captivate and engage potential consumers. In today’s streaming world, commercial breaks can be fast forwarded or skipped altogether. For the most part, commercial breaks offer an opportunity for viewers to switch to the second screen, their phone, and engage with content there.
And the opportunity for engagement on the second screen is not only consistently available, it’s more comprehensive. Customers scroll through social media in a uniquely tactile manner, in control of what they see and where they tap. Impact is measurable not only through viewership, but at every touch point — from impressions to likes and clicks — ultimately converting to sales that can also, for the most part, be completed in-app. Brands can directly attribute consumer journeys through social media, while TV continues to try and show value with out of date, assumption-driven attribution.
The benefits of influencer marketing
Influencer marketing builds community, enhances reach and engagement, and establishes trust with your brand. Influencers speak directly to a niche, loyal audience through authentic, lo-fi social content. By collaborating with creators through influencer marketing, brands can tap into their communities to not only join the conversation where it’s already happening, but leverage the established trust of the creator’s dedicated audience.
Influencer-driven content also offers the advantage of being shareable, always available, and endlessly re-watchable. Unlike the limited time frame offered by TV advertising, social media content is always-on, fuelling constant opportunity for engagement whenever your audience is online. As if that weren’t enough, consider that influencers not only have a more engaged audience than most TV shows, but the scope of their viewership also rivals the most watched shows on TV today.
Telcos specifically have great potential to increase customer loyalty through influencer marketing. Take a telco like Mint Mobile - the service provider lives organically on social media with all of its creator-led and influencer content promoting the mantra of $15 a month, with no hidden fees. Mint Mobile focuses its content to platforms like YouTube (see their authentically watchable ad with Major League Baseball’s Bobby Bonilla) and TikTok. Consistently, Mint Mobile leans into humor and relatability, linking their online presence back to the company’s owner: Ryan Reynolds. Mint Mobile's revenue increased nearly 50,000% between 2017 and 2020, and their customer satisfaction rate is sitting pretty at 9 out of 10, with 79% of users on trustpilot saying their service is “excellent” — this loyalty and retention speaks to the emotional connection and positive brand perception they’ve built with their audience.
Last but not least, let’s not ignore the return on investment available in influencer marketing campaigns, especially compared to traditional media. With low cost and high impact content reaching highly targetable, niche audiences, creator-led social media marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to disseminate brand messaging.
Creator-led use cases in the telco space
There is a limitless array of creators telcos can collaborate with to engage with different target audiences authentically using their specific expertise. Gamers, for example, can amplify the messaging surrounding a telco’s internet speeds. Even for telcos with audience segments in specific geolocations, gaming influencers can be found in almost any area or region, allowing for hyper-targeting and geo-targeting.
Likewise, lifestyle creators are an intuitive fit for endorsing the connectivity and overall significance of a telco’s mobile offerings through social media marketing. Whether filming their daily routine, editing content, or capturing real-life milestone moments, lifestyle creators live by their online connection — their phone is an irreplaceable tool for their passion and creativity as well as, in many cases, their full time job.
From a B2B perspective, telcos can tap into influencers in the small business space to reach the ever-growing number of entrepreneurs in the US. Small business owner influencers can articulate the cost-effectiveness of a telco’s internet or phone system offerings and demonstrate how it can positively affect their business’ bottom line, making them the perfect creator group to discuss scalability or bundle programs in an informative and professional tone that remains true to their vertical.
Social-first transformation is urgent
Social media is not just another marketing channel. Done well, social-first marketing encapsulates every touchpoint of the consumer journey, connecting and engaging an audience from awareness to advocacy. While some telecommunication companies have already undertaken a social-first transformation, other industries are leading the way. To stay competitive in today’s fast-paced and social media centered market, it’s imperative for telcos to kickstart their own transition to social-first marketing. Any approach to marketing that is not aligned with consumer behavior is an uphill battle for engagement, and the more time that passes, the steeper that incline becomes. Today’s consumers are social-first, and that won’t be changing anytime soon.
