7 Best Social Media Tactics to Promote a Product or Service Launch

Everyone knows social media plays a crucial role in spreading the word about a new product or service. However, the world of social media can be a bit overwhelming and creating meaningful social content takes planning. Alex York from Sprout Social recommends you start planning your social media strategy at least 2 months before your product launches (2015). While this process may seem stressful, if done right, it can be very rewarding. Your social media options are endless, but here are my favorite tips for alerting the media about your newest project!

1. Consider the best place for your messages.

When planning your editorial calendar surrounding your product launch, I strongly recommend considering which social media platforms are best suited for your message.

For B2C businesses I recommended considering the following platforms:

• Yelp
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• YouTube

For B2B businesses I recommend considering these platforms:

• Yelp
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Maybe YouTube

Dig deeper and consider what platforms your target audiences are using. Generally speaking, Generation Z audiences are using Snapchat and Instagram, while older Generation X and Baby Boomers are taking over Facebook and LinkedIn. But the context of your content is also important to consider.

2. Launch a countdown.

A countdown can be an effective tactic for promoting a product launch because it creates buzz around your product while informing your prospective customers of your exact launch date. There are various possibilities when it comes to organizing your countdown. Consider posting a new picture everyday on Instagram counting down the days until launch or maybe you have a nonstop running clock on your website. This is a great idea to get your audience excited, but keep in mind it can be risky. If something in your launch goes wrong and your product isn’t released on the correct day, you may have a disappointed fan base. So you'll have to weigh the odds.

3. Tease without revealing too much.

Nancy Grace from Mention believes that launching a teaser campaign can be a powerful tool to, “grab attention and build anticipation” (2018).  However, the key is to not reveal too much or you will reduce the value of your product or service. If someone can access majority of the product for free why would they chose to purchase it? If you are launching a part of the introduction. Maybe share some sneak peek images of what your product will look like.

4. Create branded hashtags.

Create a memorable and relevant hashtag for your product that you can use on all social media platforms. This will make it easy for your audience to find all information regarding your product. Additionally, encourage your target audience to use your hashtag in their own posts. This way you can track conversations and attitudes towards your product leading up to the launch. This makes it easier for you to take into account your audience’s voices and opinions.

5. Show behind the scenes.

Give your audience a behind the scene look on how hard you and your team have been working on your project. Shane Barker from Get Response says "build hype by sharing in the making photos, details about the product design conception or information about the products materials or product sketches. When you give your audience a behind the scenes look, you’re bringing the customers closer to the product and getting them excited for the launch.'"

6. Promote Contributors.

Share the voices behind the product or service. Showcase your team by quoting them on Twitter and sharing their designed quotes and headshots on Instagram. This can be as simple as sharing updates of your team hard at work on LinkedIn. Once again, it is clear you and your team have been working extremely hard. Give your audience insight to the faces behind the projects.

7. Shoot promo videos.

Video content is all the rage right now! To captivate your audience, shoot promo video content and use it in all social media platforms. This could be as simple as filming yourself talking about your product launch. Or you could record your product in action with a voice over.

Your social media strategy can make or break the success of your product or service launch. In order to put your best foot forward, plan ahead. Now that you have some inspiration, start planning your creative techniques a minimum 2 months before your product launch. The time spent developing your strategy will eliminate your stress and pay off big time in sales.