The Smithsonian Museum has a large amount of videos and photos on Facebook. They respond to their users comments with an informative and approachable voice. They create campaigns in which they ask their followers to provide their own responses. One example is during women's history month, they asked their followers to list their favorite historical figures that aren't well-known. This generated over one hundred comments and shares. They have also posted educational quizzes, which are highly shareable content.
Even when I thought I had found a missed opportunity by the museum to create more engaging content by hopping on the VR bandwagon, I dug up two 360-degree photos of their exhibits in their archives.
One thing I did miss on the Smithsonian's page was Facebook Live. If the Smithsonian brand voice is educational and approachable, hosting a live walk-through tour of an exhibit or a Q & A with an expert would be on-brand, and provide the museum with a way to engage with more of their audience in real time. According to marketing software company HubSpot, 45% of people watch more than an hour of Facebook videos per week. Not to mention, Hubspot states that the " Facebook algorithm now prioritizes both live video and longer videos with high completion rates in users’ News Feeds". So, if people are watching videos, and the Smithsonian is already creating them, why not diversify and add live videos to the marketing mix? A session with a tour-guide or expert in their field would be a simple way to increase engagement through Facebook for people that couldn't otherwise access the Smithsonian's facilities.
Another area that the Smithsonian has not prioritized since the end of 2018 is listing events on their Facebook. Their last listed event was in December of last year. Maybe it was a rough start to 2019 and this section of the Facebook page fell by the wayside. Alternatively, it's possible that this approach was abandoned by their social media team due to geographical reasons. Who could reasonably find an event taking place at the Smithsonian, RSVP to it, and follow through on that interest unless they're in the DC area?
Whatever the reason the Smithsonian has for not listing events, they're missing an opportunity to generate leads and learn more about people that may have an interest in engaging with their organization (HubSpot). Maybe they can list their Facebook Live Q & A sessions with a tour-guide a month in advance, and interested people can RSVP? Maybe this could give the Smithsonian information on what their audience is most interested in? Maybe they should hire me for their social media team?
From personal experience, it's enjoyable to reminisce about a past event, vacation, or special moment by scrolling through my Instagram photos, whereas seeing someone else's feed can trigger the infamous FOMO response (fear of missing out, for the non-millenials among us).
Taylor's Strategy Wheel can provide a way for advertisers to create ads that don't alienate their target audience, but rather take advantage of this phenomenon.
The strategy wheel supports Sigmund Freud's view that consumers are ego- centric. We want to feel good about ourselves and be the center of our own universe. Advertisers can use the strategy wheel to understand their target audience's needs and desires, and frame their ads about their product or organization a way that the brand can provide those needs.
I'll attempt to use the Smithsonian Institution as an example. The Smithsonian could appeal to people's need to feel part of a community by showing a group of friends enjoying a lively discussion about an exhibit that they had visited together. This could demonstrate that how as a social activity, visiting the museum could expand ones knowledge of the world and deepen one's friendships.
Appealing to the sensory segment and it's tie to emotions, the Smithsonian Museum could create an ad based around the joy of learning. They could appeal to the emotions of their audience by showing an ad that their audience could identify with that reminds them of a time that their curiosity was sparked as a child. The Smithsonian could persuade the audience that a visit to their museum with their family could allow them to share that feeling of wonder and awe with their children.
To appeal to people's identity, the Smithsonian could target ads toward their various demographics by demonstrating how their audience could be a better version of themselves by purchasing a pass to the museum. They could have ads targeted toward loving grandparents, curious children (I'm in no way supporting advertising towards children, by the way, this is just an idea), engaging educators, a young dating person that wants to sound interesting on a first date, the list goes on. The Smithsonian (and advertisers in general) can appeal to the needs of various group identities and provide the solution to that need in a visit to the museum.
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