Walking the talk with corporate social responsibility
Nowadays, it’s simply not enough to advertise and sell specific products to your audience. The world is vastly shifting, and attention is no longer solely on goods and services alone, but on a company’s brand image and reputation as well. Consumers no longer make purchases based on needs alone, but undergo a complex decision-making process guided by real-world insights before they even consider purchasing your products or services.
Some questions that your audience might need addressing are: What’s your company’s purpose? What are its hopes and dreams? How will you take us forward into a better future?
Introducing corporate social responsibility (CSR). For a company to exemplify CSR, it should actively be self conscious and socially accountable to the public, itself, and its investors. By taking charge of the responsibility to society, companies can make positive changes that benefit not just themselves, but society as a whole. Your brands’ mission and values can therefore be conveyed through a unique and meaningful brand strategy.
Studies show the extent of CSR’s importance to consumers, employees and investors. A study by Kantar shows a direct correlation between perceived positive impact and brand value growth. Employees that are part of companies that display CSR feel empowered as “agents of social change”; up to 60% mentioned that they would take a pay cut if it meant working for a purpose-driven company. Boston Consulting Group found that companies that are considered leaders in environment, social or governance matters had 11% more valuation than competitors.
Don’t just take our word for it. The biggest brands are diligently engaging in CSR too. Patagonia’s founder donated the company’s entire profits to funding environmental efforts, while Lego celebrated diversity by introducing a line of Lego Friends characters with a range of physical and mental disabilities.
Your brand’s efforts in practising CSR don’t have to be as large scale or grand as the largest MNCs in the world, but can start from smaller, concerted endeavours at conservation.
Showing CSR online
The value of digital marketing is quintessential in today’s world – word travels extremely fast on social media and can be a double-edged sword. However, if used tactfully, businesses can connect to their audience in a more direct and potentially deeper manner.
Digital marketing is cost-effective, attains higher conversion and expands your reach to the ends of the Internet. Paired with CSR efforts, businesses can build on their brand image and reach a wider audience, through the help of a proficient social media agency.
Here are the top 5 ways to demonstrate corporate social responsibility on social media:
- Share authentic narratives
Beyond photo/video ops, one-time advocacy efforts that will appear hypocritical and superficial, companies should examine their own values and business goals to identify narratives that align closely with theirs.
Whether it’s featuring your own employees that exhibit exemplary behaviour beyond the workplace, or showing how your products or services truly make a difference in people’s lives, the value of authenticity is pivotal to success.
- Partner with the right influencers
Show that you are aligned with the public’s interests by collaborating with influencers that espouse the same values. Influencers have a strong online presence in digital channels and are generally perceived as credible to their audience.
Working with influencers that are strong advocates of niche causes can increase your reach, even to an audience that may not have even heard of your brand before.
- Create evocative content
With compelling and genuine narratives, companies can provide a glimpse of actual on-ground initiatives that they organise. Through your content, your audience can vicariously experience the impact of your CSR efforts, possibly driving them to take action in their own lives. You will have to select the best digital channel that suits your content, which requires an in-depth understanding of the nuances between social media platforms.
- Involve audience with UGC
UGC refers to user-generated content, which is any form of original content (images, videos, text, or audio) created and published by your audience on social media. To encourage your audience to make UGC, your brand can leverage on meaningful causes that interest them. Involving your audience will allow them to feel aligned to and supportive of your cause, driving brand loyalty.
- Pay attention to community engagement
To build up your brand’s community online, companies can adopt community management tactics. This refers to having various types of interactions with your audience on social channels, which allow you to listen to their feedback on your CSR efforts and gain new consumer insights. Your brand’s image can be humanised through social media management, giving opportunities to engage directly with them and find out what they actually care about.
Ready to promote corporate social responsibility on social media? Do so with a clear digital marketing strategy by consulting the top creative agency, I Concept Singapore.
Our team of brand guardians and digital marketing consultants will develop a strategy for you, starting with your brand identity.
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