By Caitlin Woolley
With so many different social media outlets, it can be tricky to know which will suit your company the best. How can you post content that will engage customers and get your brand’s message across?
A good thing to remember as you navigate the sea of posts and Internet chit-chat is that social media exists to connect people. And different channels connect people in different ways, so it’s important that you follow best practices for generating the best social content.
Once you figure out who your audience is, you can figure out how to speak to them across different platforms—and watch your brand grow! Here are some tips for writing great content for a few of the most popular networks.
As a general rule, you’ll get the most engagement on your posts if you also know when your audience is most likely to be online. Do some research into your target demographic to see when they’re most likely to be on lunch, on a break, or at home. And don’t forget to check your page’s native analytics to see when your fans specifically are online. It also helps to know that people are more likely to remember stories than facts, so give them something to remember!
Much like the Backstreet Boys, Facebook will be your brand’s “perfect fan.” Facebook has the most users of any platform and more ways to connect brands with consumers than Twitter. Take a look at who’s following you on Facebook and write about things they like, things that will engage them. Make sure to use photos liberally: Research suggests that posts with photos get an average of 39% more engagement than those without. Up the word count a little, too—you can save the short quips for Twitter. And if you want to have a little fun, Facebook is the best site to test content on because you’re likely to reach more people.
The reason Twitter exists is to be punchy, succinct, and informative. Make use of appropriate and creative hashtags and at-mentions—to reach followers, people you like, or other users whose content interests you. Once you’ve got your Twitter set up, follow the 80/20 rule: Dedicate 80% of your content to things that will get interaction from your followers. This could be retweets, replies, or favorites. Use the remaining 20% to offer promotions, discounts, or other references to your website. Keep things brief, informative, and smartly branded.
Ah, LinkedIn. A place for people who want to look—and be—business-savvy. The tone of this channel is a little bit different than it will be for Facebook or Twitter, as it’s more professional. Make sure your profile is updated, use the spotlight service on any new products or services, and ask for recommendations for your products. LinkedIn also offers handy “Showcase Pages” where you can feature specific products, services, or initiatives of your company.
For all networks, keep up with regular updates, check your content for errors, and use content relevant to your audience’s interests. Then sit back and watch the magic unfold!