BuzzFeed is the embodiment of the move toward visual that has consumed social media in recent months. You’ve probably seen a few yourself – BuzzFeeds are those lists of images and gifs such as “21 Reasons Why Exercising is a Terrible Idea” and “The 40 Most Important Corgis of 2013.” They’re funny, heart-warming, and the safest bet of just about any content to go viral.
So it makes sense that Santa Clara University (a BWF client) decided to leverage BuzzFeed for their online and social media engagement and content marketing activity.
“The idea to use BuzzFeed really came from vigilant monitoring of social media,” said Marika Krause, Assistant Director of Media Relations at Santa Clara. “I noticed how many people were liking and sharing BuzzFeed links in my newsfeed.”
Krause is part of social media team at Santa Clara led by Assistant Director of Social Media Stephanie Bravo and Communications Director Deepa Arora. Bravo and Arora have been focused on using online and social media to connect with SCU alumni and supporters who might not otherwise be connected to the institution (in addition to serving those with a high degree of connection already). BuzzFeed, the team found, fits that need perfectly.
“It is vital to have a strong presence on multiple social media platforms, because the communities are in constant transition – anyone remember Friendster or when MySpace was the biggest player?” said Krause. “As social networks evolve, each site serves a different purpose, with different levels of popularity, and means different things to the unique population using them.”
The result is a series of BuzzFeeds – some created by students and alumni, others by the Office of Marketing and Communication at Santa Clara – that capture what it means to be a student at Santa Clara in the heart of Silicon Valley. All the while, keeping a strategic message there for everyone to see in the best, least-intrusive way possible.
“The content is engaging with subtle nods to Santa Clara University,” said Krause. “We’re not banging people over the head with a message, but instead inviting them to enjoy some easily digestible content with a little Santa Clara flavor.”
Maybe the best example is this BuzzFeed – Top 7 Reasons You’re Addicted to BuzzFeed. In the visually-driven spirit of BuzzFeed, here’s a breakdown of why this particular Feed is such an awesome example of content marketing…
Top 4 Reasons Why SCU’s BuzzFeed Rocks Content Marketing’s Socks
- The “Top 7 Reasons You’re Addicted to BuzzFeed” post is about BuzzFeed (social media loves talking about itself).
- SCU’s own Instagram and Facebook posts are featured in the Feed. Strategic content placement, anyone?
- It’s about the psychology of BuzzFeed and why we like the silly things we like. Who doesn’t love learning about that?
- The information in this post comes from an SCU expert. Strategic placement of an expert in engaging social media content, anyone?
For more on content marketing and how it helps your achieve online fundraising success, connect with BWF’s Director of Interactive Communication Justin Ware by clicking here.
The Social Side of Giving 