Admit it, whether you were lying in bed with your dog or out at the bar with friends, you have snapped a selfie at least once in your life. It’s okay, don’t be ashamed, selfies are awesome. After all, the Oxford Dictionary word of the year for 2013 was “selfie”.

You’re certainly not the only one posing for the camera either. According to language research conducted by Oxford Dictionary’s editors, the frequency of the word “selfie” in the English language increased by 17,000% in just one year. More over, on Instagram alone, there are 57 million photos bearing #selfie.

Perhaps most impressive, “selfie” beat out several other words in consideration for the crown, such as “twerk” and “schmeat”. That’s some serious competition and unless you want your employees to be twerking on social media, you, too, should be leveraging the selfie sensation.

As annoying as the photo phenomenon may seem, people love it and it’s an excellent way to keep your company or brand up to date with the latest trends. Below are several strategies you and your brand can implement to jumpstart up your social media selfie game.

Launch a Selfie Social Media Campaign

Since everyone is already taking selfies, why not take advantage of this and incorporate it into a social media campaign. Many brands are hopping on the bandwagon – large and small – and they are turning out quite successful.

In honor of Earth Day 2014, NASA has launched a #GlobalSelfie campaign. Normally, NASA captures new images of Earth via satellite from space. However, down on earth, NASA wants people to capture selfies of themselves enjoying the outdoors at parks, mountains, rivers, lakes, and beaches. Gathering the images via social media, the pictures will be used to create a mosaic.

Other successful selfie campaigns have been done by Purina with their doggie selfies for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show #WKCDogShow (what could be better?), Dove’s “selfie” short film, and Lancôme’s project #bareselfie. All of these selfie campaigns engage consumers while creating brand awareness, as well.

Showcase Products and Services

Selfies are a great way to showcase your products and services. Have consumers take selfies with your product – sipping on your coffee, boasting your makeup, flaunting your fashion, etc. This shows that people are actually using your product. Not only that, they are enjoying your product or service so much that they want to share it on social media.

Dunkin Donuts has their customers present their products by using the hashtag #mydunkin. Victoria’s Secret has a Sun, Sea, & Selfies campaign in which girls can show off their bikinis, accessories, and cover-ups beachside by using the hashtag #AngelGetaways. Another company that does this differently, but well, is GoPro. GoPro does not even show their cameras in their photos, but the selfies show the quality of the pictures and what can be done with the cameras.

Once again, this gets users and consumers involved, all while showcasing a product or service in a positive way.

Represent Your Company’s Culture

Snapping selfies in the office or out on the street with your colleagues is a great way to show customers and social media users in general what your company is like. Instead of making your Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter strictly about your products or services, consider showing the human side of your company. Consumers truly appreciate the idea that there are real people behind what they are buying.

Take selfies when it’s someone’s birthday in the office, when you guys are enjoying your lunch break, or even at a company holiday party. People relate to people and your selfies will certainly not go unnoticed. Give your audience a glimpse into your brand’s life and personality. They will become a fan of your brand, company, and products without you purposely putting it in their faces.

Clearly, selfies are here to stay, so start snapping away. How do you use selfies in your social media marketing strategy? Let us know in the comments below!

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