It's hard - but not impossible - to create a consistent steam of quality content. But in today's hyper-speed digital world, boring and infrequent just don't cut it. If you're not engaging your customers about your content on social media, you're getting left behind your competitors.
On the other hand, if you can create relevant and interesting content on a steady basis, you'll open a world of opportunity to build relationships with new customers, foster the trust of your audience and ultimately, grow a tribe of loyal brand advocates. That's the social marketing trifecta!
So, in this entry to the WSI DM Video Series, we've highlighted 5 social media content ideas for excellent customer engagement. Check it out!
1. Educate Your Readers
In today's information driven world, people are thirsty for knowledge. If you're in business, you probably have special knowledge of your industry and the people who use your products and services. Offering your expertise willingly and for free is a great way to both educate your readers and establish yourself as someone who is valuable to them. Once you've built trust with your audience, the products and services that you use and recommend - including your own - become more enticing to them.
2. Ask Questions
Everybody has an opinion and most people like to voice their thoughts and feelings on a given topic. Asking questions on social media is a great way to increase engagement and include your audience in the conversations you're having. Inquiring about your audience's likes, dislikes, favourites and even asking about their challenges not only increases communication, it also provides you with a valuable window into your customers' minds.
3. Repackage Content
Repacking or adding commentary to previously existing content is an exceptional way to increase engagement through social media. There are many different kinds of learners, so while an infographic might be ideal for a visual learner, others might prefer a more in depth whitepaper or video. Not everybody is going to see every piece of media you create, so it's okay to repurpose your content into different forms (even if there's some overlap). Be creative!
4. Incorporate Visuals
Given the success and popularity of apps like Instagram and Vine, it's obvious that the Internet is becoming an increasingly visual place. This means that your content - and even your social activity - needs to have a visual component. Not all of your content has to be video, but most of your stuff should content graphics in the form of icons, charts, diagrams, photos, illustrations or slideshows. You can even start thinking visually by taking photos of your office, warehouse or workspace to help share the business's human side with your audience.
5. Make It shareable
We talk a lot about convincing people to share content, but the truth is people who are active on social media want to share things - that's why they're there. The trick is to reduce your content's share friction (things that will make people think twice about sharing your content). Social moves fast, so your articles must be super easy to share. Your content needs to make an emotional connection and leave no doubt about its awesomeness. People share things they think will make them look good to their audience; if it's boring or it takes work to share, you can forget about it!
