Getting your product on the social media page of the right influencer or blogger can mean big bucks for you. It’s that third-party validation every business wants. It’s the same reason you look at Yelp reviews before you go out to dinner. When people see a review or promotional post on a third-party page, they understand your product is as promised, and a whole lot of fun! 

In the times before social media, you could purchase commercial space on kids’ TV channels or in age-appropriate magazines, but now, everything is digital or on social media. To a newbie, it seems like a random game, but there are things you can do to increase your chances of getting spotlighted in an amazing way. 

On my podcast, Making it in the Toy Industry, I talked to Steve Starobinsky, CMO of Diverse Marketing. He offered these tips to make your social media shine, increase shares and engagement, and get more third party placements. 

1.     Invest in excellence.

When your page looks professional, with high-quality photos, influencers will take note. A professional photoshoot for your social pages is well worth the investment. Use locations, props, models, and professional editing software. If you’re on a budget, there are plenty of online classes, free editing tools, and high-quality cameras on smartphones that can shoot near professional-quality photos. Look polished!

2.     Engage.

When you’re on social media, you can’t just put up your nice shiny pictures and call it a day. You have to actually engage. Ask questions, respond to comments, and interact with others in your industry. That is how you will expand your reach and catch the eye of blogs and influencers who could give you tens if not hundreds of thousands of impressions.

3.     Stand out.

If you’re just starting, and you don’t have a big budget, you can’t afford to be average. No one can predict what type of content is going to go viral, but making high-quality quirky content is a great start. Be funny, be goofy, be silly, and be different. Go for something that is going to make people stop scrolling and look at you. Keep in mind that videos and GIFs often have better engagement than still images on social media these days.

How will you make your social media pages more polished?

Learn more about Toy Marketing, check out these podcast episodes.