Social media, when used properly, can be an amazing way to engage with your audience, build relationships and add value to your customers lives. However, a lot of businesses still don’t seem to grasp this concept. There are still far too many businesses that think it’s okay to just broadcast promotional messages about themselves.
If you’re someone that does this: STOP.
If you can nail social media, you’re on to a winner.
In order to make sure you do it right, we’ve come up with a list of 7 things to check before posting online.
1. SHAREABLE
Is your content interesting enough for your audience to pass it on to their friends and family? Have you packaged it correctly so that it can be shared? This one should maybe come at the end as if you carry out everything in the list, chances are, it will be shareable.
You need to make sure that what you’re posting is either educational or entertaining. Will your audience learn something from what you’re posting? Will they actually enjoy reading it?
Making a post educational, interesting or entertaining is the best way to ensure it’s shareable. If you can make it all three, you’re on to a winner!
A great example of this, is a video that I love. It’s done by a guy called Derek Weida.
In the video, he gives good fitness advice, but in a funny way. This is shareable! Hence why it went viral.
2. RELEVANT
Is what you’re posting relevant to your audience? Does the message that you’re trying to put across address a problem that your audience has, or complement their natural behaviour?
You need to make sure that what you’re writing about is something that your audience can relate too and might find interesting.
For example, if you’re a personal trainer, your audience wants to know how to get fit and healthy. Your job is to give them that. They’re following you because they see you as an expert in your field. Show them that! By posting relevant content, you’re continuing to position yourself as the expert, which in time builds trust and results in people wanting to work with you.
3. VALUE
The first question you should ask yourself here is: “Who am I posting this for?”. As someone who is posting content, you should know who your target audience is. Why? Because your content should always be addressing your target persona’s questions or needs.
Again, relating back to the fitness industry: if your target audience is people at the very start of the health kick, you don’t want to be posting about complex physiological issues. Your posts would need to be understandable for someone who doesn’t know anything about health and fitness. You need to be solving the problem that they are facing just now.
When creating valuable content, really try and get into the mind of your ideal audience. What are their thoughts and feelings? What problems are they facing? What can you write about to make them feel better? Think about these things. When someone reads your post and it solves their problem, you will have earned their trust.
The person reading your post should go away feeling like they’ve learnt something or been entertained. Can you see how this all links together?
4. SIMPLICITY
You need to understand that you have an audience with different levels of understanding. You need to make sure that your post and language reflect that. People prefer simple things because it’s easier to understand! Just because something makes sense to you, doesn’t mean it makes sense to others.
5. KEYWORDS
This boils down to one thing: Are the words you’re using understandable to your audience? Things to ask yourself:
- Is my post too vague?
- Am I using long complicated terms?
- Am I using too many abbreviations?
Although saying that, maybe the use of slang and abbreviations is right for your audience?
If you know your audience, you should know what type of language works for them. Words and phrases that your audience can relate to will ensure that they take in what you’re saying.
6. REPEAT BUSINESS
Is your post so good that people will want to come back to your page and read future posts? The first impression makes a big difference and so you want to make sure that every single one of your posts is going to make the reader come back for more.
If you’re following every other recommendation here, they will.
7. VISUAL CONTENT
When it comes to social media, visual content rocks.
People’s eyes are drawn to images and videos, hence why I started creating my vlog!
As you can see, all my recommendations link together. Your audience is probably using social media to speak to their friends and family. The last thing they want is for you to pop up trying to sell them something. Follow these 7 steps when you’re posting on social media and you’re grand.
You’ll have no issues.
In fact, since hardly any companies do this, you’ll stand out.
I’ll leave you with this quote by Gerry Moran of the Marketing Think blog:
“No matter the marketing goal or how well-built the “rails” of the system are, it is content that is king and is the fuel that will make the “train” run and a strategy succeed. I have found that a social media filter is a useful before-you-press-that-send-button tool to make sure that you are delivering the best messages possible for your readers, customers and prospects!”
Looking for a paid advertising agency to scale your business? Get in touch today.
Gavin