One-thousand-one…one-thousand-two…one-thousand-three…OK, that is how long you get to grab someone’s attention on a social media channel. About three seconds before they scroll by your post.
Sure, the photo or the graphic is essential, but don’t kill the engagement with weak written content. Put down your camera and write for social engagement.
A New Interaction: Social Engagement in 2020
“The overarching theme for brands heading into 2020: Rethinking what “success” looks like for social media marketing at large. Companies today are tasked with finding a balance between making sense of their social data while also finding new ways to engage with customers. And there’s perhaps a no better time than now to refocus and reflect on how your company approaches social media.”—Sprout Social
Many of us have joined the remote workforce in 2020, social media has also been on a roller coaster of change. Remember those memes about Tiger King? Yea, those were only four months ago.
Posts, ideas, and memes that were once hot have faded into the history of 2020. As the American workforce is settling into what may be the new “normal,” let’s look at trends that we hope will survive.
Social engagement is changing. Brand fans want to be engaged with content that matters to them. They want information and want to interact with a community, even if it is a virtual community.
Instead of funny memes or a beautiful photo, customers want to know where and how to obtain your product. They want tips for using your product at home. Online retail sales are booming.
Are you using social media marketing to provide the information your prospects and fans are seeking? In three seconds, are you conveying helpful information, or did you possibly waste a valuable post?
Welcome Back Long Format Content
Our commute time has been cut to the amount of time it takes to go from the living room to a home desk. We are tired of binge-watching movies, and many of us have stopped watching non-stop news coverage. We have new-found time in our day.
Some of the best business and entrepreneurial ideas stem from networking, brainstorming, and continued education. While many of us are working from home, we are craving interaction with those in our industry. Social media channels are starting to fill the gap. How?
Many of us now have the time to read a blog, listen to a podcast, or watch an explainer video. Welcome back to long format content. It is time to start crafting industry-specific content and to start using social media to push your narrative. And you have three seconds to point your fans and prospects to that content with a link. Make your words count.
Re-Purpose Content Across Channels
As we crave interaction with those in our industry segment, we also find ourselves spending more time on LinkedIn. We connect and read summary pages, but we have time to read posted blogs, interviews, and news stories. Business leaders are spending more time on LinkedIn.
As networking, mastermind clubs, and chamber events are all canceling in-person events, many new members are using LinkedIn as a networking tool. Again, long-format content provides an avenue for engagement.
Have you spent time refreshing your summary page, or have you been spending a weekly block of time connecting with new and old contacts? Both are important, but did you also repurpose and post your long-format content to your LinkedIn page?
Now is the time to double-dip on my advice. Craft and share long-version content with links on social channels such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, but also repurpose the material to use on LinkedIn.
5 Tips to Write for Social Engagement
If you upgrade your social media approach, here is the summary of the Top 5 Trends to incorporate.
- Make every post count. Remember, you have three seconds to capture attention. Pick or test your words carefully to express your brand.
- Social media users are now looking for content with value. Tell them about your brand, your online store, or provide helpful tips.
- Write a blog or create another long-format content piece weekly. Link to your content through social posts.
- Improve your LinkedIn presence by adding long-format content posts
- Stay on brand, including your personal brand. Remember, viewers may scroll past in three seconds, but your social footprint has a long life. Only post what you will not regret later.
As you build a future social media plan and write for social engagement, you will find a library of helpful content on the Wellspring Digital website. Members of the Wellspring Digital Team blog about social media, Web UX, SEO, and marketing strategy. Our library is always open and always available to browse at no charge.
If you need help managing your content or social media marketing efforts, drop us a line or give us a call at 717.457.0522.
