Social media campaign examples to inspire your social strategy

Social media marketing campaigns are more important than ever.

According to The Harris Poll conducted in 2021, 43% of consumers used social media to discover new brands and 36% used social media to purchase products or services. This number is only going to climb as social media use increases.

In 2020, with many consumers staying home meant that brands had to double up on their efforts to connect and interact with them online. As a result, several innovative campaigns were produced using a variety of strategies. Here are some of the best social media examples from 2020.

User-generated content (UGC)

Using user-generated content as a marketing strategy is not new. It’s all about how you use it in a social media marketing campaign that sets brands apart from others.

Apple: “#ShotOniPhone”

Today's smartphone cameras have far surpassed the point-and-shoots that some of us might still have stashed away in the back of the closet. Each year, smartphone cameras get fresh updates on resolution, lenses, sensors and more. While many people may use their smartphone cameras for selfies and food photos, both amateur and professional photographers know the importance of a good camera.

Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” campaign began as a simple UGC campaign challenge that took iPhone users’ photos, shared them on the brand's social media feeds and used a select few up on billboards worldwide.

So when incredible photos and videos were produced by real users, the resulting content made the iPhone camera quality much more convincing to others. The campaign currently has 20 million posts on Instagram alone and is still ongoing.

Zoom: Virtual background

It’s safe to say that “Zoom” became a household name in 2020. It became synonymous with video conferencing even if the product used wasn’t actually Zoom itself. Because many people were thrown into a novel work-from-home situation, many backgrounds were less than ideal. From kids running around to a messy living room to an awkward view of your bed, a virtual background became important for many people.

A thread of submissions for the Virtual Background Awards! A contest for the distance era. 🏆💻

We are impressed, amused, and bewildered.

Let's begin with the entry "Me & My Husky" by @narze. 🐺👅Tru technical talent. Adorable pups.

To enter, tweet 📷and mention @ZoomWinning pic.twitter.com/NaEuM3SFWG

— Virtual Background Awards (@ZoomWinning) March 20, 2020