Millions, if not billions of people have posted on a social network at least once—yet how many of them were aware of the implications? True, posting content on all sorts of platforms has become more or less an automatic reflex for many of us; but if such communication is meant to support a business, then the subject should not be treated with levity.
Writing correctly or being good at taking photographs is not enough. Of course, such skills are quite relevant, but there is more to it than that. In order to create a flawless post one needs to master both the sort of channel being used to host the post and the target—the kind of prospects one the post is supposed to attract.
Of course, we all realize that posting a photo of one’s daughter’s dance recital on LinkedIn can hardly be expected to improve the fame and reputation of the company. At the same time, while this can be a case in point, the actual dissimilarities between social networks are much subtler. Yet ensuring a properly working communication matching the selected channel and the subset of the public at large we regard as potential buyers or customers is imperative for the efficient management of social network profiles.
FIVE “DOs”
1) Know your target.
No doubt it would be foolish for a journalist to write a piece without some knowledge of his paper’s readership, or for someone to send an e-mail without taking the recipient’s personality into consideration. The same caution is advisable when delineating a company’s social media communication. For instance, the target of the message should be clearly defined, as this will affect any communication via a social network. In the first place we must define a number of standard prospects that could turn into potential contacts for the company; then we must gain a good knowledge of their needs and requirements and find out which social media platforms they prioritize if we are to arouse their interest by posting relevant content.
2) Make sure you can master the channel you are going to use
All social networks are not born equal, nor do they follow the same rules and dynamics. Some are markedly visual (Instagram), others are more focused on text (Twitter); some target a younger audience (TikTok), others are intended for professional figures only (LinkedIn). A thorough knowledge of where you are going to post is mandatory to have your content fit the platform: it is the most important rule to achieve effective communication on social media.
3) Create different formats.
A post does not have to consist of one image plus some text. Unleash your creativeness and design novel formats better suited to arouse the interest of your users! In this world of ours we are often threatened with sensory overload because of an overwhelming number of diverse stimuli. The only way to stand out from the crowd calls for the development of captivating and innovative content. Video tutorials, online surveys, interviews and quizzes are all possible choices worth evaluating as they can result in substantially higher levels of engagement and wider user participation.
4) Graphics and images require painstaking care.
Image a tailor making a fine suit using the very best materials, but without allowing for a customer’s measurements. He won’t sell it, of course… because, however elegant, it won’t fit. The same is true of posts ons social networks: no matter how accurate your strategy was and how much hard work you have put in, they will be easily overlooked if they don’t fit the target. Images and graphics are what people will notice first, so make sure they catch their eye and suit their taste.
5) Do not neglect the importance of what you write.
Once the users’ attention has been attracted, they will probably want to know more. Thus one has to take special care to copywriting. Good grammar in general, and proper syntax in particular, are obviously required, but it is just as important that the information being conveyed be likely to intrigue the reader and answer his unspoken questions. Text and graphics are equally important in a post, so a lot of work has to be done on both elements, honing your skills in perfecting all parts of a post.
A COUPLE OF “DON’Ts”
As you now understand all the elements to be taken into account when writing a post, we may conclude with two essential rules which will enable you to avoid mistakes.
1) Do not make yourself a yardstick for everything.
What some people find agreeable might well turn out to be repulsive to others. Resorting to one’s own sensitiveness comes naturally to anyone, but when we have to assess the appropriateness of the content we really ought to forget ourselves—and just focus on whether what we are going to post actually meets the quest for information of any users who might be intrigued by what the company can provide. This is the only way to achieve an objective evaluation of what has been developed.
2) Never improvise.
Social media are often regarded as perfunctory entertainment for people who suffer from smartphone addiction and waste their time playing around in some sort of parallel world. Not so! Nowadays content posted on social media helps define corporate strategy, channel the awareness of company goals and increase brand reputation.
So seek qualified advice—call us and we shall reshape your social media content in a professionally and strategically effective way.