by Evan Whittaker

For communication professionals, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on industry trends. It can help you get a feel for the current public relations climate and may give you new ideas for popular (or not so popular) ways to engage your audiences.

One growing trend is the use of social media takeovers, where an individual takes the reins of an organization’s social media page. Whether it’s Michael Jordan taking over the Charlotte Hornets’ Twitter account, CBS stars taking charge of their shows’ Instagram accounts or even students posting on behalf of their university, an increasing number of people are getting on the takeover bandwagon.

With so many examples of this practice taking place in recent months, you might ask, what makes them so popular? To answer that question, I’ve outlined a couple of reasons why the social media takeover has become such a popular choice for organizations.

Intrigue your followers and reach new ones

It’s no secret that engaging followers is key to the success of any social media page. Sometimes, though, it can be a challenge for an organization to find new followers to add to its roster. By allowing someone to take over your organization’s social media accounts, those who follow that person are also likely to follow your organization to keep up with its goings-on. What’s more, your current followers get a taste of something new and exciting when someone else posts on your behalf. This makes the takeover a great way to engage new followers and entertain those who already follow you.

A new, personal perspective

Another integral element of a successful social media page is providing new and interesting content. Since social media takeovers allow someone new to post for the organization, it’s a great way to break the mold and provide new content for followers. What’s more, takeovers often have a “see the world through their eyes” angle to them, which can seem more personal and relatable for followers. People like content that feels genuine and relatable, and the takeover provides an excellent way to bring that element into an organization’s social media.

With the growing popularity of the social media takeover, it’s a safe bet that we’ll be seeing more of them in the coming months. Be sure to keep an eye out for the trend and learn what you can from it. Who knows? Before long, it could be your organization handing off the reins.

Do you have any thoughts or ideas about social media takeovers? Let us know! Leave a comment below and be sure to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.