9 Basics of a Social Post

7/25/2018

The struggle is real.

When we talk about social media it's always about the long game. Loads of people aren't always prepared for the time commitment and personal involvement that social media takes, especially when it's month after month. There can often be a sense that you are repeating yourself or feeling like you have talked about something already. For your sake hopefully you have! The trick is reinventing the key principals of your business in a way that is relevant to how customers consume social media. So here is a run down of the 9 basics of a social post.

Never assume people know where you are, what you do or even the vocabulary you use. We live and breathe our brand 24 hours a day and often we become blind to things that may be a barrier to a new client. Always find creative ways to include hours of operation, addresses, contact info, names of staff, explanation of common terms and ways to showcase best practices.

There are mechanics to how social media works. Tags is a very core concept to grasp when we talk about connectivity. The 3 major types of tags are: @ mentions, hashtags, geotags. Using @ mentions is very important when you want to let other businesses know you are talking about them. Hashtags are used to either start or join a conversation. Geotags are especially critical for location specific events.

One thing we always have to remind ourselves of is how people are taking in the medium. When in doubt look at your habits, what do you enjoy and what excites you the most on social media. People are not specifically online to be served ads, but they are consumers, so make it entertaining for them. Social media has created an incredible space to really explore your brand in a way that's human. Have fun with it.

Know what you want to say (before you say it).

Is there anything more exciting than strategy? Not on my planet. Having a plan is so essential to success on social media. It prevents emotional posting, creates focus for teams and ensures that content is being rolled out in a meaningful way. Of course no plan will work if you don't have the resources to execute it. Make something realistic, recruit people internally or hire someone to help. Remember the simplest consistently executed plan is way better than a huge plan that never gets completed. Start small, you have until the end of time to get it right.

Humans. We all know them and we all love them. Social media loves people. Faces especially in photos and videos perform much better. It's a good idea to assess your team and see who wants to develop the skill of being on camera. Just a warning, lots of people won't be into it. That's OK because they might be the perfect hand model or the best over the shoulder model ever. Always respect your people.

If you have a physical location or places you regularly do business, it's important to show them off. Give your audience context to where you are, especially if you are a proud local company. Many people build trust by knowing where they are going and what to expect once they arrive. It's a good idea to include your physical space in photo / video content frequently so your audience can build familiarity.

The things that make up our brand are important to include in your content. It's going to sound basic AF, but if you have brand specific items, put them in your photos and videos. Any opportunity to visually brand yourself with objects around you on camera should be taken. This is also good to be aware of when entering brand ambassador relationships. Social media is so visual, so be visual.

Social media is a long game.

You want one thing to focus on? Consistency. If you can manage this one thing you will be a rock star at social media. Dedicate time to creating a plan. Come up with three topics you want to tackle each month and create batch content. Schedule your high level messages and fill in the blanks in real time during the month. Find the cadence that works best for you, your team or whoever you hire to help you. If you really want to make an impact with social media, it's all about consistency.

Your logo is the visual mark that represents your company. If you do not have a logo that you love, consider getting one designed. This asset will be the centre piece of all your branding. Including this in your content is something you want to achieve with subtle placements. Do not watermark your images, your logo should be your profile pic and this will appear with every social post.

Brands are way bigger than your logo. It includes the tone of the language, colors you will use, sense of humor and so much more. Your brand tells the story of the core ideas of your business in a designed and thoughtful way. Confused? Maybe we can talk about it over a double double or would you prefer a skinny grande latte? Branding matters in every aspect of business, including social media.

Everyone loves a good story. With social media we have this amazing opportunity to tell the story of our brand in a way we couldn't before. When I think of content it's more about being a journalist than a marketer. Find the story, find what people care about and connect with those topics. There is likely many stories you have to share about your business that your customers would love to hear. Find them.