Positive Impact Marketing: 3 Ways to Use Social Media for Good

We’ve all heard the saying, “There’s power in numbers.” And when it comes to social media, that statement is true.

I love social media as a tool to amplify your message and connect with people.

We talk a lot about social in our certification and courses, as it’s truly at the core of what positive impact marketing stands for. 

You see, I run a school teaching positive impact marketing and how to inject purpose and impact in your strategy called Alt Marketing School (or AMS).

Positive impact marketing is a framework we curated at AMS that includes social and sustainable considerations in your overall strategy. 

The reason we explored and refined positive impact as a discipline is because nowhere else could I find a definition that truly represented what, in my eyes, great marketing should be.

So there I was, creating a whole new framework that would be rooted in purpose, relationship-building techniques, and buyer psychology, helping to build meaningful relationships with your customers.

In this article, I am sharing with you three ways to use social media for good and make a positive impact on the world. So read on and learn how you can make a difference with your content.

Understanding buyer psychology

Before we start, the teacher in me once again takes over. Let’s go through the basics.

First and foremost, what the heck is buyer psychology?

Buyer psychology is an all-encompassing term for understanding why people buy.

Different factors that influence your audience’s decision to purchase a product or service include:

• emotions, experiences
• perceptions and beliefs
• behaviors and preferences

You are probably thinking: that’s wonderful, Fab, but why should I care?

By learning about buyer psychology, we can better understand what drives customers to make a purchase. We can then create more tailored marketing strategies that appeal to the desired audience on an individual level.

So next time you are browsing online shopping, remember – buyer psychology is always at play!

As I was working on the Alt Marketing School curriculum, I dug deep into my 13+ years of marketing experience and used buyer psychology. I defined 4 specific positive impact marketing models that can easily connect with your audience.

Positive Impact Marketing models are based on 4 different personas

1. Storyteller

Creates content that shares engaging stories and entertains an audience. Uses their platform to foster discussion and tell their own unique perspective, just like the incredibly talented Jay Clouse does.

2. Leader

Connects with people online, leads conversations, and motivates others to speak up and make a difference. Justin Welsh nailed this on LinkedIn.

3. Facilitator

Helps spread important messages by amplifying the voices of those who might go unheard. They help bridge divides by connecting different perspectives in meaningful ways. One of my favorite facilitators is Samantha Kelly on Twitter.

4. Expert

Shares knowledge on specific topics and provides recommendations to educate the public. A great example of this is Josh Spector. He seeks to establish his expertise through content while also fostering meaningful interactions.

These personas are the ones most audiences resonate with when providing value and building trust. 

If you are struggling to decide on a persona, ask yourself the following questions:

• How can I engage with my audience?
• What values do I want to communicate with my social media presence?
• What kind of content do I want to create?
• How do I want my audience to remember me?

Positive Impact Marketing ideas

Once you identify your personas, you can experiment with one of these 3 ideas I am sharing with you today.

I have matched each idea with suggested personas that would work well.

1. Pay it forward

Perfect for: the expert, the leader

What can you do to support your audience, and surprise them on social media?

• Offer a selected number of coffee vouchers for a local or worldwide coffee chain.
• Offer a gift to a selected number of followers with an impromptu competition.
• Or open your DMs for 30 minutes to answer questions for your audience.

On Twitter, a lot of experts offer complimentary feedback to their followers, or one practical implementation and/or resources to help them with a specific problem.

Do this as a one-off to surprise your engaged audience – a small gesture can go a long way.

By demonstrating kindness, you’ll show others the power of giving, and that’s something they’ll remember for years to come.

2. Amplify other people’s voices

Perfect for: the facilitator

Be the one to amplify other people’s voices and stories – this is a favorite of ours, by the way.

By sharing someone else’s voice, you are making a huge difference in their lives, and your audience will be grateful for it.

• Simple, yet effective, use the “re-tweet” feature, share in Stories, or Re-Post on LinkedIn to share other people’s content on your own profile.
• Write a weekly appreciation post (just like I do every week) to spotlight someone in your network.
• Create content that allows others to network or introduce themselves (even ask for help) in the comments.

This allows you to show appreciation and empower others without having to speak up yourself.

We actually have been implementing this with our top 100 campaign, and have been using our social media to introduce our audience to some of our favorite trailblazers!

3. Support causes close to your heart

Perfect for: the storyteller, the leader

Everyone loves a feel-good story, so consider using your social media channels to showcase the good you’re doing in your community or around the world.

A great way to do this without being performative is to ensure that your commitment to making a difference is ongoing.

• Is the commitment to this cause reflected internally in your wider strategy?
• How will you also implement this on the backend of your business?
• Have you chosen something that aligns with your values and mission?

This can be anything from fundraising drives, volunteering events, or simply highlighting stories of people making a difference within the cause you choose to support.

By sharing these positive stories, you’ll create a buzz and encourage others to get involved.

Get started with Positive Impact Marketing

Using positive impact marketing and buyer psychology is an effective way to make your content more impactful.

• Identify your positive impact model based on your mission and audience’s needs.
• Choose one or two techniques to test with your social media content.
• Create a habit of incorporating some of these ideas in your monthly content mix.

With the right messaging and visuals, you can create an emotional connection with your audience and make them feel seen and heard. Trust me, I see it all the time with our certification students. 

By leveraging these personas and ideas, you’ll be able to bring a positive impact to social media while also creating incredible conversations and superfans.