Social Media Strategy Inspiration: April Fool’s Posts 2017
Do you find yourself struggling for Facebook status ideas? Do you get stuck when planning your social medai stratgey? Take inspiration from these clever brands and how they played April Fool’s Day 2017. Chances are you don’t have the same budget they do for content creation but that definitely doesn’t mean you can’t pull of regular social media content that’s just as engaging as the big brands.
Knowing my business well, a friend sent me this little gem over the weekend.
April 1st: The only day of the year that people critically evaluate things they find on the internet before accepting them as true.
April Fool’s day 2017 produced some of the best social media content I’ve seen. It shows that businesses are increasingly understanding the purpose of the platform. Social media is about so much more than pushing your product, it’s about engaging with an audience and earning their trust. What better way to engage with people than by making them laugh?
Here’s a roundup of some of the best April Fool’s Day memes we found. Use them for inspiration when planning your own social media strategy and Facebook status ideas.
Integrating print and digital marketing campaigns
IKEA
IKEA have been nailing their social media strategy for a long time. They also have a great sense of humour. April Fool’s day inside right in the IKEA media team’s zone of genius and they didn’t disappoint.
They started in the Adelaide Advertiser with a pencil amnesty.
Cleverly backed by a Facebook campaign that links people to a page on their website.
IKEA didn’t stop there, the national campaign gave us first look at FLIGHTKEA. A new low cost airline flying between Australia and Sweden, appropriately fitted out with Poang chairs and serving in-flight meals of Swedish meatballs. The attention to detail in the illustrations is awesome.
Audi X Farmer’s Union
Another big brand who doubled up with newspaper and social media was Audi Solitaire. A full page Ad in the Advertiser saw them cleverly integrating a space for the South Australian icon, Farmer’s Union Iced Coffee into the centre console of this luxury car brand.
Things went one step further on Facebook where they published a video. This is pure gold!
The joke wasn’t lost on Farmer’s Union either. They published the content on their end too. This April Fool’s prank is an example of a brilliant collaboration between two brands, likely making use of the Facebook branded content functions.
Social media content that plays to our hopes and fears
Cibo
Another Adelaide brand, Cibo espresso, made us laugh with their very public apology.
Word on the street was they’d been grinding decaf for the last six months. The horror.
Fruchocs
Yet another iconic SA brand capitalised on our local love of their product. Fruchocs boldly announced the upcoming release of a 20kg bag. With easter just around the corner I’m sure that many an Adelaide family was hoping this to be true.
Cute social media content
Tapping into the universal love of animals a number of businesses went down the path of animal related April Fool’s jokes.
Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia had a big act to follow after the success of their 2016 prank – Introducing Kids’ Cabins (heartbreaking when we discovered it wasn’t actually true).
2017 sees the introduction of an all canine cabin crew.
Tough Mudder
Tough Mudder produced the first April Fool’s prank I spied on Saturday morning #puppymudder. Nailed it, bang on brand!
I’m sure it’s fair to say that doting dog owners everywhere were left feeling a bit devastated when they realised this wasn’t actually going to be a thing.
RSPCA
RSPCA got some great brand awareness going on with their job ad. Whilst professional kitten cuddling isn’t a real thing I’m sure that plenty wish it was.
Business to business social media strategy
The Digital Picnic
Business to business wasn’t left untouched either. This prank by the girls from The Digital Picnic is pure genius! As a social media agency they absolutely walk the talk!
They took an industry FAQ, a frustrating one, and did a brilliant job of poking fun at it whilst keeping things professional. What they achieved with this one has already got me thinking about ideas for next year!
BankSA via Piping Shrike
BankSA have done something particularly clever in growing their engagement and developing brand loyalty. The face of BankSA, the Piping Shrike, didn’t miss an opportunity to stamp his mark on South Australia with release of his brand new state flag.
Facebook status ideas for your business
There are plenty of takeaways from all of these examples that you can use to help you with Facebook status ideas for your business.
Collaboration
The collaboration between Audi Solitaire and Farmer’s Union does a brilliant job of bringing together two brands with distinctly different buyer personas. The ad puts Audi on the consideration list for a whole raft of people who might not have thought of them when buying a new car. From Farmer’s Union’s perspective the ad was a little reminder to generations of South Aussies about how good their product is.
Personality
Social media, by definition means a place where we’re social. All too often brands fall into the trap of constantly pushing and forgetting to engage and be social with their audience.
I guarantee you that a photo with a face behind the business will get higher engagement than just about any post. In the same way ,if you can make your audience laugh they’re going to love you long time. If you can make them laugh with unique to you social media content (rather than shared) that’s even better!
BankSA did something really smart with their social media and digital marketing strategies when they dreamed up the Piping Shrike. A ‘face of the brand’ character has allowed them to develop highly engaging social media content without compromising the BankSA brand.
Coming up with Facebook status ideas for professional businesses can be tricky because they need to maintain credibility but stay relate-able. Stepping outside of your business and creating an online persona who can engage more easily with your target audience than the ‘business-y face’ can is a smart way to get attention and build trust.
Think Ron Burgundy dispelling disarming titbits of business advice rather than a stock photo cliché.
Posting with intention
In the case of funny social media posts, you’re primary goal is likely to be brand awareness.
Two posts that stand out to me are the IKEA pencil post and the webinar Ad by The Digital Picnic. Both posts encourage the reader to click through to their website. They’re nailing things on the brand awareness front but they’ve taken that one step further by gaining clicks to their website.
The benefits of clicks to your website from social media are huge. A fact that many businesses seem to forget or are oblivious to when developing their social media strategy.
Know what your audience love
It’s not difficult to understand why so many businesses chose animal love as the vehicle to deliver their April Fool’s prank. People love animals.
If you’ve been to one of my social media workshops you would have heard me warn of the dangers of posting crazy cat videos too regularly on your business page. Yes, people engage with them, but they don’t do much to demonstrate why you should be the go to person in your niche. Unless, of course, you work with animals.
I don’t know the inside story as to how the Audi Solitaire + Farmer’s Union collaboration came about but Solitaire Automotive is definitely the brand that stands to benefit more in the deal. Audi is a global brand but Farmer’s Union is a local brand that South Australian’s love. By aligning themselves with Farmer’s Union, Audi pulls at the heartstrings and provides and alternative for a population that’s had a long time association with Holden.
If you spotted great April Fool’s Day social media content I’d love for you to share it with me in the comments.
If you’re looking for more ideas for your own social media strategy download our 21 Facebook Status Ideas eBook and be inspired.
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