8 social media marketing mantras from teenagers

Twenty first–century workplaces really value social marketing skills, but with marketing trends moving so fast these days, the university courses designed to teach those skills are virtually redundant by the time they’re taught.

And with university fees set to rise, what’s the point in putting yourself through the perils of O-Week as a mature-aged student when you can just learn everything you need to know about social media marketing from teenagers?

Yes, teenagers. You know, those monosyllabic humans rarely seen without a smartphone. They think they know it all and annoyingly, when it comes to social media marketing, they do.

So instead of trying to figure out what one wears to uni these days (hint: it’s no longer this) ditch your enrolment and just chant these mantras to market like a teenager.

1. Don’t just snap it – style it

The days of “just taking a quick photo” to share via social media are gone – you need to style that shoot.

Perfect lighting: check. Perfect angle: juuuusst right. Your approach should be less “happy snap” and more “painstakingly orchestrated,” even if it’s just a marketing-related selfie.

2. Feel the test-and-learn burn

Rather than rehashing tried-and-true marketing strategies, harness a bit of teenage invincibility and try something new.

And if you fail, find the lesson in the failure and then try again. And again. And again…

3. Find your tribe

Don’t align yourself with just anyone. To put the buzz back into your marketing, find a maverick or an online influencer suited to your brand and let them motivate others to come to you.

Remember all those teenage parties when you’d have a “wingman” help you score a pash? Consider this the marketing version of that – but with considerably less tongue.

4. Cut the crap

The marketing crap, that is. The waffle. The jargon.

Whatever your message, just tell it like it is.

Ever read a text or Instagram message from a teenager? There’s always word economic, abbreviations and zero flowery descriptions. That’s because teenagers know better than most marketers that straight talk wins.

6. Shake things up

We all know teenagers love to push boundaries. As a teenager, my attitude towards my Saturday night curfew was “Time is an illusion.” (And yes this did get me grounded quite a bit – thanks for asking.)

In any case, the lesson here is to be a social media rebel with a cause – go boldly when you market your product, service or brand. Who cares if you ruffle a few feathers? Get noticed, now!

7. Make it fun

Why the long online marketing face? Spice up your posts.

Use photos, use video. Seriously, there’s a gif for everything. And you wouldn’t be marketing like a teenager if you didn’t use a strategically-placed emoji here and there. Especially the turd emoji – everyone loves that.

8. Keep it real

Know your market and talk to your peeps with authenticity. Teenagers can smell bull#$*! a mile off – and they communicate with that in mind.

Make sure your online marketing conveys the truest version of yourself and what you’re offering. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver.

And for Pete’s sake, don’t do duckface. It’s, like, soooooo totally 2014.