14 Tips for Developing a Social Media Content Marketing Strategy
July 29, 2021
Today, it’s harder than ever to pinpoint where digital consumers are. People today live a life in virtual locations. Your target audience can literally be in two (or many more) places at once.
That’s a good starting point for understanding the value of social media content marketing. This is a strategy designed to keep you in front of your target audience as they live out digital activities. It varies your messaging based on the platform it’s being delivered on.
Social content marketing is also effective at staying with your audience at different phases of the buying cycle. In some cases, your business content is more in the tone of a friend. At other times, it’s a direct-response ad. A story runs through your content, helping you create brand awareness.
Without a variety of content, you can’t cover the almost unlimited, virtual “where” your audience is. Here are some tips that will help you engage these digital, moving targets.
#1: Choose your platforms
While people do jump around on digital platforms and devices, it’s still rarely a good idea to try to market on all of them.
As you develop your content and connect it to your conversion funnel, you’ll find that certain platforms work better than others. Also, different content will come into play at different stages of the buying cycle.
For example, if you’re targeting a female audience with an arts/crafts product, Pinterest is likely to work well for you. If you connect with “how-to” videos, you’ll focus more on YouTube.
Your strategy will also dictate how you use social platforms. You may connect with a lead on a search ad, then get them to visit your website. From there, you discover that retargeting on Facebook pushes them most effectively towards conversions.
Carefully note your demographics and where they fit on social media. Pew research provides a lot of info about who uses which platforms the most.
Then watch your data. As you uncover the places where your content performs the best, focus your efforts there. Eliminate or deprioritize platforms that don’t perform.
#2: Build your content library
Content marketing takes content — lots of content.
As you plan your strategy, start building out a content library. Virtually anything that pertains to your offering may be useful. This may be actual content you create, like infographics, or it may be resources you want to share, like an industry-related blog.
Here are a few ideas:
- Images
- Blog articles
- Industry stats
- News resources
- Industry influencers
- Videos
- Memes
- Quotes
- Inspirational material
- PR material
Some of this is content you create yourself, and some you curate from other sources. The more you have in your library as you start, the more consistently you’ll be able to post content.
#3: Create your cadence
For the sake of consistency, you’ll want your content marketing to have a kind of rhythm to it. This “cadence” will pace your engagement and ensure that you develop a variety that keeps your audience interested.
For example, you may plan three blog posts and one video a week. On certain mornings, you post an inspirational quote. On weekends, you go for funnier content.
Having a cadence will help you avoid the problem of haphazard posting. Gaps in your engagement will cause your audience to drop off. Deliver with consistency so that people will miss your content if it’s not there.
#4: Set a schedule
Connected to your cadence is a schedule. For example, you could post on social three times a day, once in the morning, again at lunch and then in the evening. You may or may not post on weekends depending on your audience.
Having a schedule is really useful if more than one person at your business is adding content. It keeps everyone on the same page, avoiding overlaps or gaps.
#5: Document as you go
Not everything must — or should — adhere to a schedule. As things come up in real-time, create that content or share it with your audience. Twitter, for example, is much more effective when you react to what’s happening at the moment than just adding scheduled posts from a set content calendar.
#6: Use automation
Businesses with a lot of content will find tools like Marketing 360® Social useful. This automates your scheduling and lets you push content out to multiple platforms from one place.
Again, if you have multiple people working on your content, this type of software tool can keep things consistent. It also provides useful data that lets you track engagement of the same content across different platforms so you can dial in what works best where.
#7: Focus on engagement
Nobody likes to connect with selfish people who only talk about themselves.
This is 100% true with social media. You can’t just push your content out then sit back and watch as all the mesmerized followers come flooding in.
Social means social. Share your followers’ content (particularly your clients’). Comment, like, retweet, pin and follow others.
For example, following influencers in your vertical and commenting on their content is a great way to make them aware of your brand. In time, they may return the favor and share your content, giving you valuable exposure.
#8: Add value
Even worse than just talking about yourself is bombarding people with sales pitches.
Content marketing is all about providing upfront value — with no expectation of anything in return. Make a genuine effort to help people, provide useful info and be interesting.
If you make that effort, the chances to sell will come later. First, you have to earn their trust and get their permission to present your pitch.
Shareworthy content + shareworthy design + value = success.
#9: Track your results
Hey, this is digital marketing. If you’re not tracking what you’re doing and modifying to get top results, you’re just not doing what it takes.
Every platform you add content to today has some kind of analytics tool to measure how people respond. Likewise, tools, like Marketing 360 Social, provide tons of data on how your content does across your social profiles.
Without data tracking, you’ll never parlay your content marketing into business gains — which misses the overall goal.
#10: Find social media role models
If you’re having trouble getting inspired, get on social channels and start following others, both in your industry and with popular channels in general.
For example, if you want to entertain people, consider Red Bull’s approach. You don’t have to re-invent the wheel. Get inspiration from businesses that are doing it right.
#11: Stay relevant
The best content marketing has a theme. That theme connects to the value your business offers.
Stay within that wheelhouse. Avoid personal posts on your business channels or content that’s totally irrelevant to your audience.
You’re not selling with this content, but you’re not not selling, either. You want to use it to fill information gaps and inspire interest in your offering. Keep your eye on the target.
#12: Brand your social media content
One of the main goals of your social media content marketing is to create brand awareness. You want to create a stickiness that translates into being top of mind when a lead decides to hire someone.
It goes without saying, then, that you need to brand your channels. Put some design work into each platform so you are professional and memorable. Link to all your other assets, including your website and videos.
Make sure people know where they are and what they can do to engage with your company.
#13: Use paid advertising
With all the content out there, it can be really tough for a small business channel to gain much of an audience, even with great content. There’s just too much competition for people’s attention.
You can boost your content and create stronger funnels into your sales by using paid advertising on social media. This is really powerful when you retarget people who’ve already shown some interest by visiting your website or liking your page.
Facebook, in particular, has robust targeting tools that really let you dial in your ads so you’re connecting to the right audience at the best moment. If you want to turn content into conversions, advertising can really help.
#14: Don’t stop
Consistency is key. Plan out content, be timely with new stuff and keep to your schedule. It’s no easy feat to hold an audience today, and if you let up with your content flow, you’re sure to lose them.
If you don’t have the time to keep up with this, hire a social media management team to help you out.
Social media content can really help you reach your audience, but only if you stay in front of them and provide great value on a regular basis. Learn how the Marketing 360 Social app can help and how our social media managers can help you maximize your success. See our plans and pricing.
Originally published on 8/3/17
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