What makes communication effective? How do we validate the content we are putting out? Are “Likes” the be all and end all of social media? Be it a comedian cracking jokes, an officer issuing orders or a heartfelt word from a friend, the most effective communication is based on the response it creates.
The same can be said when communicating over social media, however businesses clearly can’t post the same type of content as an individual. Being mindful of your goals, corporate image and your branding may make you feel restricted in your ability to generate effective share-worthy content in a public realm.
So, What Should I Do?
First of all you should evaluate the type of content you’re posting.
It is very important to maintain a consistent voice across all of your posts.
While consistency is important, it is also critical to diversify between text based posts, imagery and links to written articles. Video content should be considered social media gold, unless it’s over 5 minutes in duration or has really poor video quality, no one will sit and watch a video filmed on a potato.
Topical or seasonal posts also fare well in the social sphere. Avoid commenting on hard hitting government or national security issues unless you’re prepared to moderate a wave of differing opinions. You can also consider event or contest based posts, although depending on your social media platform of choice, incentive based competitions may be blocked or discouraged.
Next, think about the size of your posts. Treat every post as an easy to consume snack. You’ll want to blend your corporate message with enough flavour to allow for quick and easy consumption. If your post is too long, consider splitting it into two separate posts. It’s an overused cliché however always aim for quality over quantity.
It’s an overused cliché, however always aim for quality over quantity.
Ok So, What Shouldn’t I Do?
Interesting articles and external can work well but remember to add your two cents worth or some sort of discussion point. Don’t expect to engage your audience by posting non stop links to news articles or motivational haiku poems, your users are smarter than that.
There is a common misconception that ‘Likes’ are the most important thing on social media. It might come as a bit of a shock but this digit based rating of approval means nothing, likes can even be purchased to bolster a poorly performing page, however this is akin to pretending to talk on your phone at a party to appear important.
Start a Discussion
What really matters is engagement, strong content and a robust marketing strategy.
Essentially, you’ll want to create a community around your brand or product.
Starting a discussion is the single most effective method of growing your audience and building a community. Design your content to inform and promote discussion and you’ll be on the road to an increased social presence.
