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With social media becoming more and more relevant, it is important that franchises use these platforms as a tool to gain consumer foot traffic and raise brand awareness. Many applications exist to help build a social following, but creating a balance of content with engagement is crucial. Brands need to share content that consumers want to engage in and that makes them want to step foot into your establishments.

This is all easier said than done, but some brands are standing out. Smashburger is a great example of social media best practices, capturing the attention of its fans with images of juicy burgers and videos of tossing fries and creating opportunities for engagement on a regular basis. We spoke with Jessica Davis, Social Media Manager at Smashburger, to give us insight into how the brand succeeds in the social space.

Smashburger participates on three main social hubs: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. These platforms are tools for brand recognition and measurable insight on how the social community can impact the flow of business.

&ldquo;Our main goal with all of these platforms is to engage with our customers and to see how that engagement affects our in-store foot traffic,&rdquo; Davis explained.

The most important tactics in Smashburger&rsquo;s social strategy are image quality and brand engagement with consumers. Fans want to see real food in real time &ndash; the age of stock photography is over. Original content is crucial to stand out as a brand, even if this means bringing your fans into the mix.

&ldquo;We go out to the stores and shoot everything ourselves. None of our food shots are fake like you see on TV or from the big box brands,&rdquo; said Davis. &ldquo;This authenticity appeals so much to the consumers. We also have noticed that the user-generated content is so important. We see what our consumers are posting and we love it&mdash;why not share it?&rdquo;

Smashburger finds it effective to tap into different demographics on each platform. Millennials are gathering on these content-based platforms, so it important to have a strong presence there. The brand uses Facebook to tap into an older audience. Twitter is much more news-based, making it a great place to share coupons and promotions. Instagram is where Smashburger taps into its younger audience. In fact, Smashburger has grown 159 percent on Instagram alone since January. To measure this growth, Davis points to Smashburger&rsquo;s favorite Instagram growth tool.

&ldquo;Iconosquare gives an in-depth breakdown of your Instagram community. You can get great hashtag analysis and compare your brand to how your competitors are performing.&rdquo;

To explain why social media is such an important aspect of Smashburger&rsquo;s marketing efforts, Davis adds, &ldquo;You want to be where the people are talking about you, and social media is where that happens. It gives you a place to resolve conflicts and take them offline or highlight your successes.&rdquo;

Whether a brand is big or small, social media is&mdash;and will continue to be&mdash;an integral and inexpensive platform to engage with fans in a personal way. And in the fast-moving, 24-hour food industry, brands like Smashburger prove that putting together a social strategy as a main marketing effort can ultimately boost business in a powerful way.

A Deeper Look at Social Media: How to Make Your Pages Soar

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Smashburger offers insight on how to grow your brand’s social media footprint


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