There’s no denying that social media is a busy place with tons of content being shared every second. That paired with tricky algorithms makes it hard to stand out from others in your niche.
So, what are you to do when you want to build a strong social media presence that gets your brand recognized? How can you ensure you’re rising above your competitors?
The answer is publishing incredible, highly valuable, shareable content.
If you want to learn how to do just that, this #ContentWritingChat recap offers some helpful tips that will allow you to truly transform your social media strategy.
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating Shareable Social Media Content in 2023
Welcome to the very first #ContentWritingChat of 2023! 🥳
Today, we'll be chatting all about creating shareable #SocialMedia content so you can fill your editorial calendar with amazing post ideas. 🗓️
Be sure to RT to invite your friends!
— Express Writers | Your Content Writing Partner (@ExpWriters) January 3, 2023
Our very first #ContentWritingChat of 2023 was all about creating shareable social media content. Perfect as you’re finalizing your content strategy for the year!
Q1: Social media is a great way to reach and connect with your audience, but how do you choose which platforms are worthy of your time and attention?
A1: You have to know your audience. Where do they spend their time digitally and what's their mindset when they're there. If it lines up with what your brand has to offer, it should be a good place to cultivate. After that, pay attention to the data! #ContentWritingChat
— Iron Horse (@ironhorseio) January 3, 2023
To determine which social media platforms to use, you need to know your audience. Figure out where they’re spending most of their time online so you can build a presence on the same platforms.
A1: It all goes back to which platforms your audience is most active on and where you're able to utilize your strengths. Find that sweet spot! #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel | Mindset Coach + NLP Practitioner (@rachmoffett) January 3, 2023
Not only do you want to be where your audience is active, but you also want to focus on platforms that allow your strengths to shine. When you enjoy creating content for the platforms you’re using, that passion shines through.
a1
the 🔑 to answer the question is to know very well what platforms are most aligned with your tone's voice. then you have to know how the platform works and see if there's a match 💏#contentwritingchat— joana rita sousa 🦄 💩💎 (@JoanaRSSousa) January 3, 2023
It’s also smart to consider which platforms are aligned with your brand’s voice so you can determine what would be the best fit.
Q2: Once you’ve chosen your go-to social media platforms, it’s time to plan and create content. How do you figure out what your target audience wants to see from you?
A2: Use your existing analytics to determine which content topics generate the most engagement from your audience. That's a good indicator you'll want to cover them more often. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel | Mindset Coach + NLP Practitioner (@rachmoffett) January 3, 2023
Your analytics can provide a tremendous amount of information regarding what your audience is interested in. Pay attention to the data to see which posts performed well in the past, then use that to shape your content strategy.
a2 take time to watch and listen to the audience, ask questions and to be afraid to try content, rethink it, try again, adjust here and then. there's no "one size fits all" recipe. #contentwritingchat
— joana rita sousa 🦄 💩💎 (@JoanaRSSousa) January 3, 2023
It never hurts to ask your audience what they’d like to see from you. They can give you suggestions directly, meaning you don’t have to spend time researching or stressing about what to post.
A2. Once you’ve determined who your target audience is, you should be able to identify one or more persona’s, which should provide insights into what kind of content they are interested in, what forms, when they are online, etc #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/OzCvWI9sE6
— Andrew C. Belton, MBA 🦅 (@AndrewCBelton) January 3, 2023
As you gather this information, it’ll provide clarity on who your target audience is. Then, you can create ideal reader personas that you can refer to in the future whenever you need to generate new content ideas.
Q3: What makes a social media post shareable? Are there certain elements that can be replicated to spark engagement and shares?
a3
I know this a vague answer: it depends.
some communities enjoy "how to" posts, others just wanna have fun, others are interested in taking a deeper look at some topics.#contentwritingchat— joana rita sousa 🦄 💩💎 (@JoanaRSSousa) January 3, 2023
The truth is, everyone is different. What works for one brand might not work for you. It’s ultimately going to depend on what appeals to your unique audience.
A3. The most shareable content on social media resonates with the user, supports their views, informs or entertains them and makes them look good for sharing it #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/Om7cJT2l9k
— Andrew C. Belton, MBA 🦅 (@AndrewCBelton) January 3, 2023
The key to creating great content is ensuring that it resonates. That’s why it’s so important to get to know your audience on a deeper level so you can create content they’d be interested in.
A3: Ultimately, it's smart to replicate elements of your previous social media posts that have been successful. How long were the captions? Was there a graphic? Certain hashtags? #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel | Mindset Coach + NLP Practitioner (@rachmoffett) January 3, 2023
Over time, you may notice patterns in your social media content. For example, you might discover that tweets with certain hashtags generate more reach and engagement. Or you could find that posts with images perform better than a text-only post. Replicate the success of your previous posts with future content.
Q4: Images and videos can make your social media content more eye-catching. Are there any dos and don’ts when creating imagery for your posts?
A4. Create visually appealing content that is on-brand and identifiable with the rest of your content across the internet and the real world. Try to stick with a theme. Don’t post anything that appears to be random because it could confuse your audience. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/MUmLjVwym9
— Andrew C. Belton, MBA 🦅 (@AndrewCBelton) January 3, 2023
Make sure your content is on-brand, as it’ll be easily identifiable for those who stumble upon your content. It’s amazing when someone can recognize your graphics without ever looking at your social media handle.
A3: Attractive visuals always make content more fun to share, whether it’s #NFTartwork or #datascience charts. Most people are scrolling for content to post and will stop at the most attractive accompanying visual. At least I do. #ContentWritingChat
— DiKayo | dikayo.eth ♠️❤️♣️♦️ (@dikayodata) January 3, 2023
All sorts of graphics can be appealing to your audience, even data-packed charts. Be willing to experiment to see what they like the most.
A4: You don't have to be a graphic designer to create amazing social media images. If you can hire one, fantastic! But if not, @canva is an amazing tool. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel | Mindset Coach + NLP Practitioner (@rachmoffett) January 3, 2023
And remember! You don’t have to be a graphic designer to create something that looks incredible. Tools like Canva make it easy to make quality graphics.
Q5: Social media is a busy place, so it’s easy for your content to get lost in the crowd. How can you ensure your posts are getting seen by your target audience?
A5: If you want your content to be seen, try posting at optimal times throughout the days (when your audience is most active). Also, use relevant hashtags to target your ideal audience. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel | Mindset Coach + NLP Practitioner (@rachmoffett) January 3, 2023
When you post matters. Experiment with posting at optimal times to see if your content gains more impressions and engagement. You can get this information from industry studies or through certain third-party schedulers that analyze your data.
A6: Look for industry benchmarks, but don't forget to experiment. Post at different times and frequencies for the first several months, then check the data on what performed best. #ContentWritingChat
— Iron Horse (@ironhorseio) January 3, 2023
Just make sure you’re experimenting with posting times. While it may seem time-consuming, it’ll pay off in the end when you’ve developed a posting schedule that performs really well.
a5 spend some time trying out some schedules to see what works best. also, consider repurposing and re-distributing your content, so you can reach different people in different times. #contentwritingchat
— joana rita sousa 🦄 💩💎 (@JoanaRSSousa) January 3, 2023
Don’t forget to also repurpose some of your older content, as many of your followers might not have seen it previously. This breathes new life into content you created previously, plus saves you time since you won’t have to come up with an entirely new idea.
A5. Create a unified #ContentMarketing strategy that integrates distribution of your content through #EmailMarketing, adding social feeds on your website, sharing content to relevant industry groups or organizations that accept contributor content. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/UNtSQerwLh
— Andrew C. Belton, MBA 🦅 (@AndrewCBelton) January 3, 2023
Make sure social media is part of your overall content strategy, including your content marketing and email marketing efforts. It’s smart to have everything flow and work together.
Q6: How often should you post on social media to see success? And are there optimal posting times to stick to?
A6. Posting content regularly on social media is advisable, as long as the quality of content is up to par and it’ll vary based on the platform and target audience. Posting around lunchtime and the end of the workday has been optimal, in my experience. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/xCeLvgcXM1
— Andrew C. Belton, MBA 🦅 (@AndrewCBelton) January 3, 2023
Post regularly, but don’t forget that quality is important. You don’t want the quality to suffer because you’re trying to meet some sort of daily post quota.
Regularity definitely helps. And my engagement has sky-rocketed more than ever since I started attending #TwitterSpaces. You’re there in a virtual room that transcends even posting! #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/TPMq9zL3Tw
— DiKayo | dikayo.eth ♠️❤️♣️♦️ (@dikayodata) January 3, 2023
Consistency is key when you want to grow your social media presence, so make sure you’re posting often to stay top of mind.
Q7: How do you know if your social media content is performing well? What are the key metrics you should track in your analytics?
A7. Establish Key Performance Indicator (#KPI) goals that tie into your overall business goals. Typically they could include impressions, likes, shares, clicks, conversions to a sale or consultation. Regularly evaluate to continuously improve the strategy. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/x8EYnedsEs
— Andrew C. Belton, MBA 🦅 (@AndrewCBelton) January 3, 2023
You want to establish KPIs based on your goals because this will tell you which metrics are most important to track. For example, you may want to track things like impressions, likes, shares, clicks, and conversions.
Want to join the next #ContentWritingChat? Follow @ExpWriters and be sure to join us on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central!