Here are a few facts you should know about social media:
Fact 1: Social media is a great way to attract people to your website, product/service, or yourself.
Fact 2: Sharing an array of content through social networks makes you a trusted news source to your followers.
Fact 3: Posting your own content will make you a thought leader in your industry and prove your expertise.
But….
The key is balance.
You shouldn’t just post your own stuff. Think about it. If you engaged in a conversation with someone who only talked about themselves, how long would you want to remain in that conversation?
Not very long.
On the other hand, posting only other people’s content will not give your brand the validity it needs.
That’s why you need the perfect balance of both.
Worried about what will happen if the content you share gets more engagement than your own posts? Or that other people’s content can overshadow your brand on your own social media?
How do you get your content to shine in the midst of posting other people’s content? There is a formula. Stay with me…
You will get your content to shine amongst others if you:
- Have exceptional content
- Optimize your content for various social networks
- Engage like an actual human
So let’s break the formula down: Exceptional Content + Social Optimization + Actual Human= You shine so bright everyone needs sunglasses.
Here’s how to apply each part.
Exceptional Content
It’s important to note here that you can write content all day long, but if it’s not exceptional – meaning it provides loads of value and is specifically targeted to your buyer persona – then people will pass your content for someone else’s.
Here’s how to write really great content:
- Stick to your niche. This is important. If you’re an author who focuses on leadership, you’re not going to share social media posts about interior design with your subscribers and followers. They have opted in, and followed you, because they want valuable information on leadership. If you know who you are when you walk into a room, great! Stick to it.
- Write for your buyer persona. Similar to sticking to your niche, you HAVE to know who you’re writing for. *Cue in your Buyer Persona. Buyer personas are representative characters of the primary customer you’re specifically targeting. You must know them inside and out. By doing so you can detect consumer behaviors such as their likes and dislikes, their problems, and even personalities.
When you know this, you can create content specifically for that person.
- Write consistently. Brad Sugars of ActionCOACH says: “Success happens one day at a time...day after day...consistency wins the race in the end….” This is very true in the world of content. You must be consistent with it.
Think of it this way: If you post on your social media accounts daily and you post different types of content, BUT you only blog about once a month, you’ll have very limited content from which to post your own stuff.
In this scenario, you’ll be posting other people’s content on a daily basis. Not your own. Your followers will be gaining value from other people who blog consistently when they could be getting that from you.
A good rule of thumb is to be be blogging 1-3 times per week so you can use it to create your own social media posts to share.
- Use keywords. Using keywords will help you rank in search engines like Google. If you are using words that your buyer personas are searching with, then that will help you out all the more.
Pro-Tip: Include keywords in your social media posts.
- Stay up-to-date. Depending on what you do, your industry may change all the time. Or it may not. However, you should always stay up-to-date on industry shifts, and changes in your buyer personas. This will help you continue to write exceptional content.
- Be creative. According to Google, there are 3 billion people on the web today. You are creating content for just a fraction of those people. You must stand out amongst others in your industry. Mix it up. Have catchy titles, write valuable stuff. You can do it!
Social Optimization
Once you create the content, now you have to share it! Keep these tips in mind so you can optimize your content for the best results.
- Be aware of what platform you’re posting on. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, “Oh My!” And don’t get me started on LinkedIn and Google+. There are so many social media platforms, it’s a challenge to know WHERE to focus your efforts.
Whatever network you decide is going to be top notch for yourself or your business, you need to keep in mind the differences in each when it comes to posting your content.
For example, with Twitter, you can only use 140 characters, but with Facebook, you can write much more. As a result, what you post will look different on each platform. Go back to the creative part and play around with wording and keywords to see what works for you!
- Post at the right time. This will be different for everyone. But a good rule of thumb is to go back to your buyer persona. When are they normally online? Try posting around those times. Analyze the results, and then tweak your efforts.
- Use paid advertising. This is a great way to get your content that extra boost it needs. If your company or business is using pay-per-click (PPC) or other forms of advertising for their brand, you’ll get traffic. And more people will see your content!
- SEO. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is another great way to increase traffic, AND IT’S FREE. If you optimize for search engines by using keywords, you’ll increase your rank and get seen by people! This will draw people to your blog, your social profiles, and then, ultimately, you.
Be Human
I don’t know if you know this secret, but it’s one that can move mountains between you and your leads.
People like to engage with other people. True story! People would rather engage with an actual person, than a computer. So it’s important that you seem human and not automated.
Here’s how to “humanize” your social media approach:
- Respond in a timely matter. If someone comments on your social media posts -- RESPOND! And do so using actual language that is welcoming to the commenter. Try and do it within a timely manner as well. It’s not good practice to respond to someone a week later from the date they commented.
Pro-Tip: Respond within 24 hours of the comment.
- Use language your buyer persona would use. Again, keep your buyer persona in mind! You’re targeting them, so it’s important to use language that they would use. How do they talk? How do they process information? Would a case study, or infographic work better for them? Whoever your buyer persona is, develop content they would read!
- Be visual. People like visuals. They grab attention. Mix it up and be creative with it!
Conclusion
So there you have it.
One simple formula will help your social media content shine above other content you post: Exceptional Content + Social Optimization + Actual Human = Content Shines!
Stick to it and watch your business take off!
How do you get your content to shine in the midst of posting other’s content?
