Is it time to break up with your current social content? Change is hard, but it may be time to move on if you're not getting what you want. Your content needs to entertain, educate, inspire or persuade. Is your current content achieving those goals?
If you’re feeling disconnected from your audience, it may be time to change your tune. Do you have a content strategy in place? If not, that’s an essential first step. A solid content strategy will:
support your business goals,
increase your ROI,
allow you to adapt messaging on the fly based on audience response,
create a consistent schedule and
keep everyone on your team on the same page.
It may be time to re-evaluate how you’re being heard. Here are five ways to upgrade your social content to help grow your business:
1. Leverage micro-influencers.
Micro-influencers are personalities whose social media presence is larger than a “regular” person but smaller than a celebrity’s. Think of an audience somewhere north of 5000 but less than 100,000. While a micro-influencer’s reach may be smaller, their content feels more intimate to their followers. They come across as more relatable and genuine and can direct their audience towards your brand.
Tap into their marketing prowess for content pieces like testimonials, quotes, and blog collaborations that help bolster your credibility. Their ability to stay connected with their audience (answering messages, etc.) can benefit your brand when someone asks them for an honest review of what they’re promoting.
2. Re-purpose existing content.
Your content should never be one-and-done. Like any good movie or TV show, it should live on in different forms. (House of Dragons, anyone?) Use performance metrics to review content that has performed well in the past and repackage it into other assets, including infographics, videos or social posts.
The advantage is that you don’t have to spend the same effort as creating new content. Using other formats, you can reach audiences on various channels. Another key advantage is that your messaging stays on point.
3. Rethink your ABCs.
ABC doesn’t always have to mean ‘Always Be Closing.’ Think more along the lines of ‘Always Be Connecting.’ Avoid the hard sell on your messaging. Your audience knows you have something to promote - they don’t always want the dance. If you’re going to win them over, offer them (e.g.) valuable tips that they can use in their everyday lives. They’re more likely to remember your brand and the excitement you’ve surrounded it with the next time they’re ready to make a purchase.
4. Engage your customers in conversation.
As we learned, not all messaging has to be targeted directly toward a purchase. Connect with your customers on a more meaningful level. Share blogs, news updates, white papers, and case studies that put your industry expertise on full display.
In addition to the above, ask your customers for their input. Discuss their pain points, promote local events or share inspirational stories. If you keep the conversation going with engaging content, they feel better supported when they’re ready to buy.
5. Diversify your content.
According to HubSpot, businesses typically market to three different audience segments at any time. Again, blogs, emails, videos and audio assets (namely podcasts) are effective ways to spread your message to these audiences. To stay consistent, ensure your SEO keywords are applied in all formats.
However, be careful not to stretch yourself too thin while creating multiple formats. Maintaining content quality and consistency is key to a solid marketing strategy. Lastly, decide which platforms are best for your audiences. Luckily, we already have a blog on that very topic.
As more customers rely on online content to help them with their business decisions, it’s crucial to elevate your brand content from your competitors. Evolve your content based on feedback to create messaging that resonates with your customer.
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