How to future proof your social media strategy

It’s hard to remember a time without social media. We’d thumb through catalogs to shop for items instead of scrolling down Instagram. And although we’ve come a long way since the days of buying followers and likes, many still forget that social media trends constantly change. Just as fast as platforms die, organizations’ social media strategies become outdated.  

So, to keep your followers from clicking the unfollow button, follow these unwritten rules when developing social content:

Do: Turn each post into an experience

Customer expectations have skyrocketed over recent years, and social media is no exception. With the push toward personalization, it’s necessary to establish and maintain a connection with your followers. Today’s consumers are being visually assaulted with information 24/7, and the most effective way to stand out is as simple as humanizing your brand. As Margo Aaron expertly puts it, creators should think of every piece of content as an inside joke with their audience. With that said, your audience will vary from platform to platform—so make sure your content does as well. While you should be creating content specifically for social media, you should also make sure that it’s tailored to each platform.

Don’t: Make your social strategy a guessing game

If you asked a marketer three years ago, they’d probably tell you to test, test and then test some more to discover which content resonates best with your audience. While experimenting with your strategy is helpful to an extent, it’s 2019—and we now have access to more data than we know what to do with. Even if you’re new to the social media game, take 30 minutes a week to go over what your competitors are doing. See what’s working for them, learn from what doesn’t and integrate those insights alongside your brand’s unique voice and identity.

Do: Practice authenticity

‘Viral’ has quickly become my least favorite word in the world of marketing. Companies need to stop focusing on what it takes to go viral. Consumers are tired of the same old, they want to be treated just as they are—as people. Instead, show customers why they should care. Make it conversational and incorporate language they’d use as opposed to jargon you’d use when talking to a colleague.

Don’t: Bombard followers with self-promoting content

One of the biggest mistakes B2B organizations make is falling victim to tunnel vision. Instead of focusing on your product or service, express its impact. One of the most efficient ways to do this is through user-generated content (UGC). Starbucks, for example, purposely (and ingeniously) spells customers’ names wrong so that they’ll then take the so-called “epic fails” to social media—AKA free advertising. Now, you may think it’s not so easy for B2B marketers, but there are so many alternative approaches that are just as effective including customer testimonials and case studies, relationships with industry experts and analysts, company events and more. In fact, UGC doesn’t have to even come from your prospects or customers—it can be as simple as getting your employees involved.

To put it into perspective, most social media “best practices” have outlasted the rise and fall of some social channels (RIP Vine). Nowadays, it’s about a lot more than just lead-generation, even for B2B companies. Too many companies are missing out on arguably the most efficient way to establish a connection with their customers because they’re sticking to the same old playbook. What was once entirely influenced by brand, is now entirely in the hands of the consumer—make sure your efforts reflect that.

Is your social media strategy in need of an extreme makeover? Check out our recent blog for more tips.