Have you ever invested an excessive amount of time crafting the perfect post? Choosing each word carefully, sourcing or designing the perfect image and then incorporating the ultimate call to action … only to find little to no engagement in return?
Ugh … I know how THAT feels. It crushes your ego and hurts your heart a little. Don’t worry. You’re not alone. I’ve been there. And so have millions of others.
“The past is your lesson. The present is your gift. The future is your motivation.” - Zig Ziglar
When you sit down to write a post for your business, you usually have some kind of goal in mind. Whether it's to inform, inspire, or engage, you naturally anticipate seeing positive results. It's a logical connection—take a certain action, expect a specific outcome. Social engagement is not wishful thinking. To improve your social media engagement, ensure your social media posts are purposeful, resonate with your audience, and contribute to the overall success of your online presence. How? Commit to asking yourself these 5 crucial questions before you hit post.
1. What’s the goal? Clarify your objective and define the purpose.
There are so many different goals you can achieve through social media. To name a few, you can increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, generate leads, boost engagement, promote products/services, educate your audience, showcase your company culture, announce an event, celebrate a milestone, humanize your brand, support a cause, share testimonials to add credibility, and the list goes on. The result you seek from promoting an event will look be very different than the result you would seek from celebrating a milestone. So, the first thing you should do before hitting the post button, is clarifying the goal of your post. Define the purpose.
2. What’s the tone? Be consistent.
Your tone should always align with your brand personality. Whether your brand exudes authenticity, friendliness, or innovation, ensuring a harmonious tone is not just a stylistic choice. It sets the stage for engagement of your target audience. Inconsistency can create confusion and a perception that your brand lacks direction or is not well-defined, which can impact how your audience perceives your credibility and professionalism. Always review the tone and language used.
3. Is the timing right? Check the headlines.
It’s true that you can fine-tune your social media posting schedule for optimal engagement by reviewing and adjusting your posting times based on performance analytics. But that’s not what I’m talking about here. What you say and when you say it matters. Your social media presence is a reflection of your brand, and demonstrating compassion during challenging times contributes to how you humanize your brand. Posting joyful content during moments of collective grief or sadness can come across as ignorant and insensitive. Your content should align with the emotional context of what’s happening in your company and your community. On the positive side, it’s always fun to align your posts with relevant events, holidays, or trending topics to capitalize on heightened interest. Take the time to look at the headlines before you post so you can make sure your timing is right!
4. Is it targeted? Speak the language of your target audience.
If your content is generic and speaks to anybody and everybody, you may risk attracting the wrong fit and not attracting the right ones. Your target audience is following you because they see you as the expert in your field. Use content that is tailored to resonate with your specific target audience and continue to speak to them, their preferences, interests, and communication style to keep them engaged. Note - you can leverage your social media analytics to track the performance of your posts to learn what best speaks to your target audience. It’s all about speaking their language. Continue positioning yourself as the expert by ensuring you are using the terms, pain points and matters are that relevant to your audience, choosing topics that add value (and avoiding topics they may find offensive).
5. Is there visual appeal? Enhance your communication and impact.
Visual elements are an indispensable part of effective communication. People's eyes are naturally drawn to images and videos. The human brain processes visual information faster than text, and it often has a deeper emotional impact. Photographs can tell a brand story. Videos can showcase products in action. All visuals have a universal language that transcends barriers of literacy and language. A well-crafted image or video can communicate across cultures, making it a powerful tool for global communication and connection. When sourcing or designing visuals for your post, ensure they align with your brand identity, values and messaging. And quality matters! Blurry, pixelated, or poorly composed visuals can negatively impact your brand's perceived professionalism. Whenever possible, create or curate visuals that set your brand apart from the competition.
Every post is an opportunity, and crafting one that resonates requires more than just creativity. It demands thoughtful consideration of your goals, tone, timing, target audience, and visual appeal. These considerations will help you shape a strategic approach to transform your social engagement from wishful thinking to a purposeful reality.
If you’d like some help to tell your story and meet your objectives, contact one of our content strategists today at letscreate@undercover-creators.com!