Game of Likes – 7 digital marketing lessons from Game of Thrones
April 29, 2019
The ultimate season of a decade-long saga is finally here. It's the perfect occasion for us, hardcore fans to share the teachings we have learned from this epic show. We couldn't help ourselves to compare the war for the Iron Throne and the race for online visibility.
Here are the seven most important communication lessons taken from GOT. If you follow our advice we assure you almost as many followers as Daenerys!
- Strategy before all
The major teaching ofGeorge R. R. Martin's universe (apart from the fact that you should not root for any character) is that smart strategists survive longer.
Think about Tyrion Lannister being several steps ahead of his enemies. On the people' side, the Lil' Lannister brother (no pun intended) goes out of his way for the war to stop. Whereas being Hand of the worst of Kings or Daenerys' counselor to prevent her from putting King's Landing to fire and sword, he stays focused on his goal.
Just as Tyrion, your strategy is your best asset. Defining the mission of your online presence will help you to win the Game of Likes. So, go ahead and plan your publication and be sure to reach your goal. For that, you can use tools such as Planoly, Later, AgoraPulse and Tailwind.
- The battle of content marketing
Cersei summed it up in season 1: " When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die." Same goes for The Game of Likes, where the battle for users' attention is raging. A social media strategy is a long-term endeavor. It'll take time to establish a solid base of faithful followers.
Post regularly on the media of your choice in order to become super visible online. Remember this: consistency is the key to success. You may not win every battle, but you'll win the war. *cue epic soundtrack*
It's also a great way to inspire trust in your audience. A famous marketing legend says that you must be seen 7 times before triggering the act of purchase.
- The holy Grail of Loyalty
Nowadays the commitment rate is way more important than the number of followers. You must do your best to create a bond between you and your precious followers. This is why it's time to give your audience a reason to be loyal.
For instance, you can repost user-generated content (UGC) such as reviews or pictures. This type of post is a great way to publish content and stand out from the competition. According to a study from The Nielsen Institute of Market Research, 80% of consumers tend to have more trust in recommendations from a fellow human being than from professional reports. Push your followers to talk about your goods or services.
Get your inspiration from the unshakeable Sir Jorah, faithful to death to his Queen. Even after being castaway three times by the beautiful Khaleesi, he keeps coming back because he wholeheartedly believes in her. Through actions like reposting user-generated content, you'll turn your followers into Jorah Mormons. They'll carry your company's values and support you from the Red Waste to the Iron Throne.
4. The importance of the Watch
Take time to study what the competition is doing. What kind of post gets the most response? Do they prefer to interact with their fans via Snapchat or Instagram? Keeping your eye peeled for insights enables you to be prepared to any major change in the realm of social media.
If you decide to turn your back on what's going on across the Narrow Sea, you might end up being burnt alive by dragons one thought extinct. If Tywin Lannister had paid a little more attention to what was happening on Essos, he perhaps could have foreseen the rise of a young Targaryen heiress.
5. Communication with your audience
Considering the job is done after posting your publication is a terrible mistake. On the contrary, your job has only just begun. Strive to be a unique company and assert your identity by making your followers fall in love with your brand.
Be more like the lovely Queen Margaery Tyrell. She manages to win her people's heart by adopting a generous and kind behavior. Communicate with honesty and sincerity. Users want to chat with companies, not to have a formal exchange. Show them that the goal of your brand is all about friendly communication.
6. Knowledge is power
Before starting your online strategy, you have to know who you're talking to. As Lord Baelish, know your target client like the back of your hand. This intelligence kept him alive for seven long seasons.
How old is your target? What are their hobbies? What are their fears and frustrations? What do they aspire to? These are so many questions that will help you touch your audience! Warning: we don't recommend spying on your clients in their intimacy nor using not-so-legal ways to get what you want... Baelish is no good example really.
- Nevertheless, she persisted
Our final advice would be to adapt to circumstances. You will not achieve dazzling success every single day, but you will accumulate small victories. Most importantly, don't give up after the first obstacle. Hang in there my friend.
Why not learn from Sansa Stark's resilience? This she-wolf of Winterfell has overcome numerous difficulties.
Sansa survived:
her father's beheading
a first monster of a soon-to-be-husband
the slaughter of her family
a second monster of a husband
a manipulative sociopath
a brother who steals her title of Queen of the North
and *SPOILER ALERT* the return of her brother… without her crown.
And yet, she never gave up and knew what to do at the right time.
The older of the Stark sisters is a model of courage and stamina. Like her, keep a flexible strategy and show your extraordinary ability to overcome hardship. Learn when to act, whether using flexibility or, on the contrary, bending to the rules of digital communication.
We hope that this piece of advice helped you learn the right practices of online marketing. For further details on the best techniques to stand out on social media, click the link to access our white paper. Not our white walker paper 😇
Drop the Mike.
