5 Things To Consider For An Effective Social Media Content Strategy
Whether you're savvy with social media or just know the basics, I always like to say that Social Media is a blend of art and science. Requiring not only the ability to understand "how" well a piece of content performs but also "why" it performed the way it did.
And as social media best practices continue to evolve and user behavior on these platforms shifts, brands are constantly looking to establish themselves in the social media space.
Often, the companies behind these social media platforms define what successful content is. It feels like dozens of changes have happened to the most popular social media platforms this year alone. Companies like Meta are deciding what content to feature in-feed, like recently prioritizing Reels to keep up with TikTok's overall growth.
Brands must commit to putting their audience first on social media. To do that, embrace the unique functionalities on each social media platform, understand how your audiences use those platforms, and what place your organization has in the lives of that audience.
Organizations must become uncomfortable and shift their focus away from what is best for them and toward what is best for their audiences. These actions are noticeable, welcomed, and memorable to users on social media. So much so that if it resonates with your audience, THEY are personally invested in sharing, discussing, and acting on your content. And now you have something of value, an engaged audience.
Find Your Niche And Lean Into It
An effective content strategy is to find and hone in on a niche. For instance, only pictures of cheesy foods like Grilled cheese, gooey Pizza, and mozzarella sticks heart desires, posted on Instagram. Folks that follow channels like that fit neatly into a particular niche, cheese pull-related videos.
Most content creators and brands have trouble understanding this concept. If you're posting branded content one day, meme content the next day, and a screenshot of a relevant news article another day, your content strategy lacks coherence and inconsistency.
For two reasons, you must regularly create and post content that leans into that niche:
Because content on social media is searched by category when not in-feed, and
Because posting consistently helps your brand or profile get identified by the algorithm as having an affinity towards that niche.
Developing your content niche requires the discipline to identify what content works best for your brand or organization and to work within these constraints.
Leverage Another’s Audience to Help Grow Yours
Trying to reinvent the wheel wastes precious time, no matter how many tips, tricks, or methods you may have come across online. So when it comes to audience building, find ways to leverage someone else's audience.
That could entail joining a podcast as a guest or panelist, doing an Instagram Live session, or writing a guest article on someone else's blog or website. Ideally, someone who has already developed a sizable fanbase. On social media, you can also tactically leverage the same hashtags your favorite brands and influencers use to show up next to their content authentically.
Too many people spend unnecessary hours tweaking their content because they feel it is lacking. However, don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Brands with nearly unlimited marketing budgets can't create perfect content, so don't put that unfair expectation on yourself.
The goal is that over time, these individuals you've been interacting with over time recommend your content to their audience. They are essentially putting you in directly front of their followers.
Start Viewing Content Creation as a Skill, Not an Art
Don't get me wrong; content is art. And it creating engaging content typically involves putting together a well-thought-out story rather than coming up with an original one. Although content requires artistic skill, I truly believe social media is a beautiful blend of art and science. And content is often a success as the result of hard work, actual knowledge of the brand, and the skills to create engaging social media content. You are in for a painful letdown if your goal is to use social media content creation as a vehicle for artistic or creative expression.
But what I think is essential is understanding that content creation is a skill that needs to be consistently used to stay sharp. Having an artistic eye is important, but I know some creative people who can't turn that into content.
In other words, producing content efficiently is to devise a system that works for you and stick to it. Good content creators can recognize the various aspects of content creation, whether at an agency or for a brand. But more importantly, they are adept at putting those aspects together consistently for their monthly content needs.
You May Not Truly Know Your Audience
It is logical. We all think we know our audience and what makes them tick. We're in the metaphorical trenches, day in and day out, often hearing directly from the people we're looking to reach. But where we usually get tripped up is the breadth of knowledge we think we have on our audiences.
When thinking of content creation, your typical audience looks to you for the same kind of material that initially attracted them to follow you. But as you explore new types of content formats or buckets, stay humble. Here's a good example, you may create a piece of content that speaks to a specific cultural moment or meme format that reaches more users than you typically do. Any followers from that particular post may explicitly be looking for more of that meme-style content.
You must fight against the impulse to double down on fads or other content formats that aren't sustainable (I'm looking at you, TikTok). Instead, build on what is effective and continue producing content that has proven to move the needle for your team or business.
Once more, creating content is labor-intensive, not a blank page for your ideas.
Take The Long View.
Remember, it's essential to set reasonable expectations and know that social media and content marketing is a long game. You're not going to put one post out there and instantly achieve your marketing goals. Like any good relationship, it's all about communication over time. Success should be measured in years, not months. If you're not new to social media or content marketing, continue to refine your skills and take a learner's mindset.
The majority of content creators (myself include) consistently publish content. Not only to refine our skills, but to grow our audiences.
Brands must become uncomfortable and shift their focus away from what is best for them and toward what is best for their audiences. These actions are noticeable, welcomed, and memorable to users on social media. So much so that if it resonates with your audience, THEY are personally invested in sharing, discussing, and acting on your content. And now you have something of value, an engaged audience.
