I met Joe O’Donnell in the kitchen of the Field Burger & Tap. Joe competed in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, West Germany.
Joe told me of his childhood, getting into trouble at the age of 13 when he slugged an officer in court while defending his mother who, when reaching for her keys, officers thought was pulling a gun. Joe was jailed for 8 months. It was there, from another inmate, that he learned to box.
He told me of the times that he met Muhammad Ali, who gave Joe his Rolex. He showed me a photo of one encounter (below).
He’s still delivering the punches, now in the kitchen. Joe now sells meat for Wells Meats in Philadelphia. As for Wells Meat, it was some of the best steak Muhammad Ali has ever tasted, Ali told him.
Joe taught me few moves, too. “Keep your hand close to your face,” Joe said, “to swat the punches, then throw the jab.”
Social media has become an integral part of our lives, and it’s no surprise that businesses have taken notice of its potential as a marketing tool. However, with the increasing amount of content being generated every day, it’s becoming more challenging for brands to stand out and connect with their audience. This is where candid, authentic content comes into play. In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of candid, authentic content and candid photos on social media.
What is Candid, Authentic Content?
Candid, authentic content is content that is raw, unfiltered, and reflects the true personality of the brand. It’s the kind of content that doesn’t feel like it was created solely for marketing purposes, but rather as a genuine way to connect with the audience. It includes behind-the-scenes glimpses, spontaneous moments, and real-life experiences that humanize the brand and make it more relatable to its audience. Candid photos are unposed, spontaneous shots that capture real-life moments. Which helps to capture a genuine moment that reflects the subject’s – and the brand’s — personality and emotions.
The Importance of Candid, Authentic Content
Builds Trust – Candid, authentic content builds trust with the audience by showing the human side of the brand. It helps to create a more personal connection, which is essential in building long-term relationships with customers.
Increases Engagement – Authentic content is more likely to be shared and commented on by the audience. It can also help to spark conversations and generate buzz around the brand.
Differentiates the Brand – With so much content being generated every day, it’s essential to stand out. Candid, authentic content helps to differentiate the brand from its competitors by showcasing its unique personality and style.
Showcases the Brand’s Personality – Candid photos are a great way to showcase the brand’s personality and style. They can help to differentiate the brand from its competitors and create a more memorable impression on the audience.
What is Candid Photography?
Candid photos are unposed, spontaneous shots that capture real-life moments. Which helps to capture a genuine moment that reflects the subject’s – and the brand’s — personality and emotions. They can help to differentiate the brand from its competitors and create a more memorable impression on the audience.
“People go only to places they have already been in their minds. ”
—Roy H. Williams
Candid, authentic content is essential on social media. Helping to build trust with the audience, increase engagement, and differentiate the brand from its competitors. By showcasing the human side of the brand and capturing real-life moments, businesses can create a more personal connection with their audience and establish long-term relationships with their customers.
Social media has become a primary means of communication, with users endlessly scrolling through their feeds in search of content that grabs their attention. As a result, brands and content creators have had to adapt their strategies to keep up with the changing landscape of social media marketing. One of the most effective ways to engage users on social media is through the use of photos, and behavioral science can help us understand why this is the case.
People engage more with photos on social media for several reasons:
Attention-grabbing: Humans are naturally attracted to visual stimuli, and photos are a great way to capture attention quickly. Studies have shown that images are processed by the brain faster than text, which makes photos more likely to grab people’s attention as they scroll through their feeds.
Emotional appeal: Photos have the ability to evoke emotions, and emotional content tends to be more memorable and shareable. Photos that elicit strong emotions, such as humor, nostalgia, or awe, are more likely to be engaged with and shared by social media users.
Social influence: Social media users are heavily influenced by the actions of their peers. When a photo receives a lot of likes or comments, it signals to others that the content is popular or interesting, and people are more likely to engage with it as a result.
Cognitive load: Humans have a preference for information that is easy to process, and photos are often more cognitively fluent than text. This means that people are more likely to engage with and remember information that is presented in a visual format.
Overall, by leveraging these principles of behavioral science, social media platforms and content creators can create more engaging and shareable photo content.
Social Proof in Behavioral Science: The Power of Peer Influence
Behavioral science is the study of human behavior and its impact on decision-making. One of the key concepts in this field is social proof, which refers to the phenomenon of people looking to others for guidance on what is right, acceptable, or desirable.
Social proof is based on the idea that human beings are naturally social creatures and have a strong desire to fit in and conform to the norms of their social group. When we are unsure about a particular decision, we often look to others for guidance. If we see that others are doing something, we are more likely to follow suit.
This concept has important implications for marketing and advertising. By using social proof, companies can increase the perceived value of their products or services and encourage people to take action. Here are a few ways companies can leverage social proof to achieve their marketing goals:
Customer reviews and ratings: One of the most powerful forms of social proof is customer feedback. By showcasing positive customer reviews and ratings on their websites or social media pages, companies can demonstrate the value of their products and services to potential customers.
Social media influencer partnerships: Social media influencers are people with large followings who can help spread the word about your brand to a wider audience. By partnering with influencers who are seen as credible and trustworthy, companies can tap into the power of social proof to increase brand awareness and boost sales.
User-generated content: Another way to harness the power of social proof is by encouraging customers to create and share content that showcases their experiences with your brand. This can include things like photos, videos, and testimonials. When potential customers see that others are using and enjoying your products or services, they are more likely to follow suit.
Celebrity endorsements: Celebrity endorsements can also serve as a form of social proof. By partnering with celebrities who are seen as trustworthy and credible, companies can tap into the power of peer influence to increase brand awareness and boost sales.
In conclusion, social proof is a powerful tool in behavioral science that companies can leverage to achieve their marketing goals. By demonstrating the popularity and value of their products or services, companies can increase their perceived value and encourage people to take action. Whether through customer reviews, social media influencer partnerships, user-generated content, or celebrity endorsements, social proof can help companies achieve their marketing goals and connect with their target audience.
Behavioral science is an interdisciplinary field that combines insights from psychology, economics, sociology, and neuroscience to understand human behavior and decision-making. Behavioral science can be leveraged in marketing to improve campaign effectiveness.
Here are 7 ways to use behavioral science in marketing:
Nudge theory: By using subtle cues and prompts, businesses can encourage customers to make a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.
Social proof: By highlighting the popularity of a product or service, businesses can leverage the principle of social proof to encourage customers to take a desired action.
Scarcity: By highlighting the limited availability of a product or service, businesses can leverage the principle of scarcity to increase the perceived value and encourage customers to take action.
Anchoring: By starting with a high price and gradually lowering it, businesses can use anchoring to make a lower price seem more appealing to customers.
Priming: By exposing customers to certain stimuli before making a sales pitch, businesses can influence their perceptions and behavior.
Loss aversion: By emphasizing the potential loss of a product or service, businesses can use loss aversion to encourage customers to take action.
Framing: By framing a product or service in a specific way, businesses can influence customers’ perceptions and behavior.
By using behavioral science insights, businesses can design marketing campaigns that are more effective, resonate better with their target audience, and drive desired actions.
Contact us to learn more about implementing behavioral science into your marketing and social media. Email us at bs@bradensocial.com
The most downloaded app in the world is going back to its roots. Instagram is getting a refresh with a renewed focus on photos for 2023, says Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri.
“I think we were overfocused on video in 2022 and pushed ranking too far, and basically showed too many videos and not enough photos. We’ve since balanced, so things like how often someone likes photos versus videos, and how often someone comments on photos versus videos, are roughly equal, which is a good sign that things are balanced.”
Adam Mosseri, CEO, Instagram
Launched in 2010, Instagram is the second most accessed network behind Facebook. And the fourth largest social network — behind only Facebook, YouTube and WhatsApp.
In recent years, Instagram has pushed video for both users and creators. This video-centered approach helped it stunt the growth of rival Snapchat, and saw Instagram user base surge, especially among younger users.
The focus on photos will certainly be of benefit for businesses, as photos are a key to branding and marketing, and less expensive to produce. Though Instagram isn’t abandoning video —Mosseri further notes the network will continue to balance photos and videos.
Instagram grew to be the most downloaded app in the world through photos. The network’s renewed focus on photos signals the importance of images for both users and advertisers seeking to build a brand and market to the network’s growing user base.
Social Networks by the Numbers : Instagram possibly the most attractive option for businesses, compared to Snapchat’s person-to-person messaging focus. A full 90 percent of Instagram users follow at least one business, according to Hubspot. And 83 percent of users have discovered a new product or service on the platform. TikTok is also a nice fit for business, though one fourth of TikTok users — the largest age group — is 10-19 years old, not an ideal fit for most businesses. More than half of Instagram users fall in the 25-54 age range, which also represents the demographics with the most disposable income. Instagram is also Gen Z’s (23-38) favorite social platform. Though teens aren’t abandoning the network. In fact, usage among teens (13-17) increased 4 percent over the past year.
Introducing Unfiltered by Braden Social. Candid & authentic photos and conversations with notable figures in Happy Valley. Launching June 1, 2023.
Eric’s candid-portraiture style of photography captures genuine and captivating moments, offering viewers an immersive experience of the people and places featured in his work.
Braden Social LLC 