The Dos & Don'ts of Social Media Content Creation

Excellent social media content helps businesses of all markets reach consumers. Because of that, it is imperative to have a strong strategy in place to make meaningful connections with your target audience. Here are some of our dos and don’ts when creating content on social media.

Display Brand Identity

Identity is a crucial aspect that affects a consumer's decisions, and they fall back on buying products and services from businesses that they know well or have perceived that they know. Reflecting on your business's history and the unique narrative within your content can help you stand out from competitors.

A strong brand can help you keep your company at the forefront of your consumers' minds and foster trust and communion.

Follow the 80/20 Rule

20% of all posts you make should revolve around overt advertisement. Direct promotion is not the prime goal of your social media accounts. Your followers do not come to social media to be swamped with promotional material, so creating content that allows them to connect and socialize with you and your business would be ideal.

The remaining 80% should include engaging, informative, and entertaining content. This can include user-generated content, industry news, tips and tricks, and interactive posts such as polls or Q&A sessions. By striking this balance, your audience will feel more engaged and be more likely to trust and support your brand when you do share promotional content.

Create Dynamic Content

Digital content is being consumed at a higher rate than ever. If you ever hope to rise above competitors, you should fulfill your consumers' desires for engaging content and material. To thrive, you need a detailed, goal-driven strategy with your digital marketing efforts to make quality content in varying mediums that will make your audience want to engage.

Diversify your content by incorporating videos, infographics, carousels, and interactive posts. Video content, in particular, has seen immense growth in engagement rates across all platforms. Live streaming, short-form videos, and behind-the-scenes footage can make your brand more relatable and engaging. Additionally, consider leveraging trends and challenges to increase visibility.

Leverage Data and Analytics

Social media platforms provide valuable insights into your audience's behavior, preferences, and engagement. Regularly analyze your metrics to understand what types of content resonate the most. To refine your strategy, identify peak posting times, audience demographics, and engagement trends.

Use A/B testing to experiment with different content formats, captions, and hashtags to see what generates the best response. Data-driven decision-making will help you optimize your content strategy for maximum impact.

Don’t Forget Your Audience

Your target audience should always be a priority focus, and content should resonate with them. This makes the tone and voice of your brand important as you decide which platforms need the most focus. Content that addresses and solves your audience's problems while also being of value can best be accomplished via client personas. Once a client persona is created, you can shape your strategy around them and their objectives.

Actively engage with your audience by responding to comments, direct messages, and mentions. Social media is a two-way street; building relationships with your followers through meaningful interactions will boost brand loyalty and community growth.

Don’t Publish Content That Requires Editing

Maintaining a professional appearance in front of your audience will be imperative to your social media. Make sure to proofread content before publishing and that all aspects of your content are error-free.

Inconsistent branding, grammatical errors, and poorly edited images or videos can negatively impact credibility. Consider using tools like Grammarly for text editing and Canva or Adobe Creative Suite for high-quality visuals. Establish a content review process to ensure that every post aligns with your brand standards before it goes live.

Stay Updated on Trends and Algorithm Changes

Social media platforms frequently update their algorithms, which affects content visibility and engagement. Stay informed about these changes and adjust your strategy accordingly. Follow industry blogs, participate in webinars, and monitor competitor strategies to remain ahead of the curve.

By keeping up with trends such as AI-generated content, influencer collaborations, and emerging platforms, your brand can continue to adapt and thrive in the ever-changing digital landscape.

Final Thoughts

Creating effective social media content requires strategic planning, consistency, and adaptability. Your business can build a compelling online presence by displaying a strong brand identity, following the 80/20 rule, producing dynamic content, leveraging data, engaging with your audience, and maintaining high-quality standards.

Remember, social media is about creating relationships, not just pushing sales. When done right, it can be a powerful tool to connect with your audience, foster brand loyalty, and drive business growth.