3 Ways to Put the Social Back in Social Media

The social media landscape is one that changes every day. Algorithms shift, accounts are opened and closed, new platforms pop up, and some days it will be challenging to keep up with it all. 

Social media isn't going away anytime soon, and the need to remain SOCIAL on your social media is becoming increasingly important.

What do we mean by that exactly?

Social media has turned into a world of target audiences, lead generation, and brand ambassadors. People are inundated with social media advertising every single day. While a great ad strategy is important, what’s even more critical is that your brand remains truly authentic on your platforms. People use social media as a place to connect with others, share stories, learn, and follow people and brands that inspire them, make them laugh, and make them better.

What are you doing on your social media to promote those three things? If you are constantly focusing on yourself, your products, and your services, you are losing sight of the key aspect of social media; creating meaningful interactions with others. 

To help you get back to the basics of social media, we’ve gathered a few quick tips to help create content that is helpful and engaging for your target audience:

Emphasis People, Not Products & Services

Have you ever noticed social media posts that feature your employees receive higher engagement? That’s because people connect with people, not products and services. Many organizations tend to focus their social media content on self-promotional posts, constantly talking about the company’s innovative products or award-winning services. While it’s okay to post this content every once in a while, it shouldn’t be the sole focus of your social media strategy. The majority of your content should emphasize people, allowing your customers to make more meaningful connections with your brand.   

Focus on Engagement

Social media is a place where you can create awareness, conversations, engage with your audience, and share stories. Strive to post content that encourages comments, reactions, and continuous discussion between users. Asking engagement-driven questions helps create a conversation that drives meaningful interactions. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn all prioritize these types of posts in their algorithm, so the more engagement and conversation you are having, the more people you can reach with your content. 

Be a Resource, Not a Salesperson

As mentioned above, many brands focus content on products over people. One way to shift your thinking is to make your audience the focus of your post. How are you positioning yourself as a resource to those individuals? How do your products or services solve a particular problem for them? Frame your brand as a strategic partner who can add value to their lives.