“But… how did you even get that many followers to start with?” a well-meaning but clearly flabbergasted company owner asked. His question was directed to a model who had just finished speaking.

The model, one of five performers assembled for a seminar on social media, shrugged. She’d been sharing a tale of woe – her Instagram account, which had had approximately 650,000 followers, had randomly and unceremoniously been shut down. Luckily, she still had her Twitter, which, though shadowbanned, had nearly as many friends and fans.

“By being myself, by talking with my fans — and by sometimes showing them pictures of my butthole,” she answered with a laugh.

From my seat in the audience, I couldn’t help but wonder… Certainly this wasn’t all about the model’s butthole? I mean, there’re variable approaches to social media. Some say “no buttholes” — as in, don’t give explicit content away for free. Others suggest placing all your cards on the table, strategically. But what if one’s butthole-sharing game plan isn’t even a question because it isn’t even a possibility?

For brands without a human proxy, this is often the case. Consequently, social media strategies must be formulated accordingly (read: differently).

We asked the masterminds at Evil Angel and Gamma Entertainment about building up followers and augmenting engagement in the absence of buttholes. What are some of the most effective strategies for brands without a human proxy to build their social media presence?

Liz at Evil Angel recently took over the company’s online marketing, including managing the company Twitter account, @EvilAngelVideo.

According to Liz, the following are the three most effective strategies for brands to build their social media presence.

1. Promote your product and be consistent

Liz said: “[Evil Angel is] an adult entertainment company, so a lot if not all of our posts are going to be about that. People follow us to see what new scenes we have out, what new movies are coming up and the sexy talent. When I post a new scene, I tag the talent, director and link to the scene. I like to add a small sexy description on what’s going on in the scene to make people intrigued and hopefully make them want to click the link.”

2. Time out your posts

Liz said: “We have fans all over the world, so we make sure we have tweets going out at all hours of the day and night to cater to everyone. We also don’t want to overwhelm people who follow us, so we space out our tweets.

3. Engage

Liz said: “I try to interact with fans when they comment on our tweets or simply thank them for being a part of Evil Angel. I think that makes them feel appreciated. I meet a lot of fans in person when I work at [expos], so putting a face to the Twitter name is cool when I get to talk to them. Also, doing a contest here and there to give out signed DVDs or merchandise [is effective].

Insights from Liz point to three-dimensional thinking. This includes being mindful of the needs and diversity amongst people who consumer your products, as well as taking care to make sure people know there is a real human behind the content-curtain. The need for mutual interactivity is a common theme that comes up often in today’s world. Social media, not surprisingly, is no different.

Example of an on-brand, socially relevant tweet with good engagement.

Forever mood ? pic.twitter.com/zyEv7ZJ3Bt

— EvilAngel.com (@EvilAngelVideo) June 23, 2018

At Gamma Entertainment, things are a bit different in terms of social media. We corresponded with their Social Media Specialists Jess and Ursela regarding the most effective strategies for brands to build their social media presence.

Ursela, who has worked in Gamma’s social media space for nearly five years, said, “There is no ‘One Social Media Strategy’ to fit all brands. [E]ach channel is treated individually, and we cater to its needs.”

“Much like the content itself, consumers are demanding more overall value. We have clearly defined goals, one of which is content exposure,” she added. “Maintaining consistency and esthetic is key.”

Jess’s insight built off Ursela’s, reiterating the need for interactivity, especially interactivity that feels authentic.

Jess said: “I find the most effective strategy is to listen! Despite the fact that we don’t represent our company through a persona doesn’t negate opportunities for meaningful communication with our followers. I find when you genuinely show that you take your audiences’ opinions into consideration that you will receive a positive response. Even if it is reaching out to a single person and making their day a little better, that act will have a wider reception and people will pick up on it.”

Taken collectively, these insights from Liz, Jess and Ursela point to a few simple considerations: the need for interactivity, brand consistency and correspondence that shows the humans behind the products. Even if your butthole is not part of the wares, consumers want to know that there’s a person back there!

It’s important to note that, though these insights may point to simple concepts, enacting these practices within the context of your specific brand can get tricky. Work to apply these ideas in ways that make sense for your brand or products, and remember: Social media is a marathon, not a sprint.

Image via Therese Seversen.