Social media has come a long way since “The Facebook” launched in 2004. In the early days, Facebook was a closed social network for students at a handful of Ivy League universities. In the past 13 years, the social network has expanded and evolved. Facebook claims over 1 billion users and connects people around the world – from undergrads to grandparents.
Along the way, shifts in technology have affected the way we share our lives online. These days, you can log on to any social network and share your thoughts from anywhere with a mobile phone and an internet connection. Everyone with a smartphone has a production studio in the palm of their hand.
According to a recent survey from Pew Research Center, about three-quarters of Americans now own a smartphone. For many of us, our phones and feeds are the first thing we check in the morning and the last things we see before we go to sleep.
At Cricket Wireless, we realize that phones can be lifelines – they’re tools for conversation and connection. We think of social media as another opportunity to give our community “Something to Smile About” (that’s #STSA, for short) and we use content to bring that tagline to life.
We use Facebook and Twitter to keep our audiences in the know about our latest deals and device launches. We use Instagram to share a peek at the world of the #CricketNation, through the eyes of our team members. Our social care team goes the extra “smile” to answer questions and provide customer service through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
We keep an eye on trends in pop culture and technology and look for innovative ways to stand out from the baby photos and cat memes online. When it comes to social media, one hot trend over the past few years has been the rise of video.
Last spring, we launched a series of videos to bring our brand’s personality to life and to give our fans #STSA. In May 2016 we launched #PhotoMombing, a video manifesto that encouraged moms to get in the picture – literally – for Mother’s Day. In the fall, we launched #LemonAid and inspired our audience to take the lemons in their life and turn them into sweet lemonade, just in time for the back to school season. During the holidays, we used the Alcatel IDOL 4 with VR Goggles to create unexpected family reunions. We also teamed up with the Salvation Army to give underserved families a Christmas Miracle, with a special visit from Santa Clause and his elves.
In addition to using traditional video to share stories, we use live video as well. When Facebook Live launched in the spring of 2016, live video started to really take off. According to a survey by Livestream and New York Magazine, 81% of internet and mobile audiences watched more live video in 2016 than in 2015 and 78% of online audiences are already watching video on Facebook Live. We tapped into this trend by using Facebook Live to highlight new plans and devices, and to give our audience the chance to connect with their favorite stars, like WWE ® Superstar Dolph Ziggler ®. We took our live streaming to the next level with a record-breaking 24-hour event— LIVE: The Tale of the Merrier Carrier —that included celebrity appearances, musical performances, product demos, puppies and more.
Our innovative work in the social space earned Cricket Wireless recognition as the Best Consumer Brand in the 9th annual Shorty Awards, which honors the best of social media.
We’re excited to give our fans even more to smile about this year! Follow along on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram for #STSA.