Social media. If you've ever managed a page for your band or your business, you know how time-consuming it can be. Writing original content for 4 or 5 different platforms can be a full-time job!
Between the algorithms and the competition, it's tough to find unique ways to grab your audience's attention. But there's one foolproof formula that can help you create kick-ass content every single time: connect + inform + call to action.
Connect
We're in the thick of scrolling culture. If we don't immediately connect with an image or the first sentence of a social media post, we move on with the swipe of a finger.
The first thing your post should establish is a connecting point between you and your audience. That may be an artistic, high-quality photo, a personalized video, an intriguing question, the right emoji, or an engaging, relatable story. Think about what makes you click "see more" and turn that into your content strategy.
If you're having trouble, imagine you're sitting across from your audience at a coffee shop – how would you start the conversation one-on-one? Keep it personable, conversational and thought provoking. And remember; make sure they can relate to it. This is often considered the most important part of your post because if your followers aren't immediately brought in and connected to your content, they likely won't stick around to see the rest of your post.
Make sure your connecting point is relevant to the rest of your post as well, and find ways to make it concise. This is the part of social media content that can easily be overdrawn, so try to make every word count.
Inform
The next part of the social media formula is not quite as exciting, but it's incredibly important. You have to make sure your audience has all the information they need.
If you're posting about an upcoming event, for instance, make sure they know the who, what, when, where, and why. Make sure they have all the links they need, all the tags they need, etc. There's nothing quite as frustrating as having to hunt down details that aren't included in a post.
When you present the information, (again) keep it concise and clearly written. This is the part of your post that should be grammatically "basic" and not too fancy or mysterious. Save your creativity for the connecting point and the call to action!
That's not to say you can't be authentic when presenting information – just know that the information takes precedence over personality at this point, as a general rule.
Call to action
So, you've just crafted a great social media post – you know it'll connect with your fans and you got all the information in there. The final piece of the formula is the call to action. This is the part that is most easily forgotten or overlooked.
After your audience reads your post, they're going to ask, "Now what?" Make sure they have a clear action step so there's no doubt where they need to go next. Even if you share the event page or a link in your post, include a quick "RSVP below" in your content to be sure they'll take the next step.
An easy way to know if you've included a CTA in your social media content is to look for verbs. You should have a "join us," "RSVP," "download," or "let us know" somewhere in your post to encourage your fans to take action on the information you just presented.
*Note: Some social media algorithms are designed to detect certain keywords, such as follow, like, comment, or tag, and push down those posts, so get creative with your CTA!
Once you've connected with your audience, informed them of your news, and given them an action to take, your social media post should be in good shape. Now, all you have to do is check your grammar and spelling, add the right links, photos, or videos, and do a little research about the best time to post!
Your social media strategy should ultimately be a reflection of your brand and cater to your unique audience. This formula can work in any social media setting: a 280-character tweet or a longer Instagram post, but all the formulas in the world can't replace your intimate knowledge of your fans. With a little research and a lot of commitment to your fans and your brand, you'll be unstoppable.
If you'd like to talk more about how Noise Gate PR can help you build a customized social media strategy, reach out and we'll be in touch!