Social media can feel like a hydra—no matter how many heads you think you’ve cut off, another one always seems to pop up. And by heads we mean standards and best practices. They’re always evolving. So how do we become Hercules? How do we set this beast on fire. Well, you don’t. It’s time to make social media your very deadly pet. Apparently owning pets that can kill you is a thing. So, welcome to the party.
You may be thinking, “what’s the point?” Unless your organization is the kind that does really well on social media, you might feel like it’s useless to have a presence there. But it’s really not, we promise. What’s important is the strategy that you choose to implement; and everyone’s can look a little different. Something that can feel like a major challenge is coming up with the right content.
Pivot your content toward entertainment
According to a recent Hootsuite study, people on social media want to be entertained and not marketed. The data say, “they don’t like it when brands are too focused on self-promotion…34% say it’s a major turn-off in how they perceive brands on social.” Right behind that is “low-quality content.” If that sounds a little like you, please accept our metaphysical, sympathetic pat on the shoulder. Keep in mind that, if you are using this kind of content to fill up your platform, you aren’t getting accurate ROIs (Return on Investments). Users aren’t going to engage with content they’re not entertained by, therefore you aren’t going to see ROIs for the time and effort spent on planning, generating, editing, and posting that content.
This idea of “entertainment” can feel a bit overwhelming and obscure, we know. But, as the kids say, it’s not that deep. There are so many ways to create content that would be considered entertaining:
- Be inspiring
- Elicit excitement
- Play to their emotions
- Help them “learn something new”
The options are endless, but the most important thing is that you’re working to relate to your users and your target audience. Figure out your brand identity if you haven’t already and put that on display in a way that users will find relatable, enjoyable, and useful. Don’t abandon your selling efforts altogether, though, just make sure it’s done in a way that will be entertaining and isn’t completely dominating your platforms. Focus more on building relationships than driving conversions and the pieces will practically begin putting themselves together.
Tips for your new social media content strategy
The good news is this new content strategy is going to be so much more fun, enjoyable, and productive. The less than good news is that it’s probably going to take a lot of time and diligence to get your formula right. Play around with different kinds of content, note what works and doesn’t work, do more of what worked and less of what didn’t, and keep track of those ROIs. Most importantly: don’t rush it. Hootsuite says to think of your social game as a slow burn and we couldn’t agree more. Social media is a little bit like a new romance.
You need to find something that draws them into your brand and your content—a hook, if you will, for everything that you post. Why are they going to care? Why are they going to keep watching? How are you going to hold their attention? Don’t give away too much right at the beginning, otherwise there won’t be anything for them to figure out at the end. And the more you can keep them on their toes, the better.
What if my product isn’t entertaining?
It’s not just about your product but you brand and your brand identity. What kind of story do you want to tell to your audience and your followers? What do you want them to associate you with outside of the product or service that you’re selling? What to you want them to think or feel when they see your organization pop up on their feed?
There should be a payoff just for having viewed or interacted with your social media content. Remember how we said this is a long game? You might not get every single one of your customers with your witty reels or memes, but you will create a memorable impact in their minds. When they’re ready for a product or service that’s within the umbrella of what you do, they’re going to remember YOU. Ultimately, watch time is one of the most important social media metrics. While conversions are a pertinent metric to track, it isn’t #1 in the social game.
You might feel compelled to promote yourself, otherwise it feels like a waste of time. We get it. But regardless of what you choose to post, as long as it’s entertaining, useful, or memorable, you’re already receiving your own pay off.
Honestly, our favorite brand to follow lately on social is Duluth’s Best Bread. They have a perfect blend of promotional content and entertainment. And somehow they do the promotional part so well that we don’t even feel marketed to. It might help that we love bread, though.
Contact us today if you’re interested in working on your social media content strategy with The Cultural North! Peruse our website to find out more about us and our services.