Content is not about talking at people, but rather having a conversation.
Looking at how social has evolved can help you create a strategy that engages your audience.
Setting the Scene
Evolution of Social Media
Social media has evolved from being profile-led to being preference-led, making it even more difficult to get in front of your audience.
2004 – 2010
Profile/Newsfeed Led: Content driven by who you were friends with
2015
Content driven by who you follow but also the content you react to—preferred content delivered first
2020
Preference led algorithms even more robust, driving content from businesses and companies down
Content Should Educate, Entertain, Delight or Inspire
Each platform serves a unique purpose and adds a different type of value to your followers.
Interaction,
Information,
Entertainment
YouTube
Education,
Entertainment,
Exploration
Delight,
Inspiration,
Discovery
Reputation,
Education,
Connectivity
Information,
Conversation,
Entertainment
Equipment,
Inspiration,
Immersion
Instagram: Factors Influencing What We See
- Engagement (likes, comments, likes on comments, saves, DMs, DM replies)
- Relationships (frequency of interactions with the source)
- Timeliness (time of posting, relevance of impression)
- Profile searches (actual & types)
- Topic appeal (genres)
- Direct shares (shares on the post)
Facebook: Factors Influencing What We See
A simple glance at a Facebook post provides the following information:
- Who’s the source
- How have other people engaged
- How many people posted something similar
- When was the post published
- What type of post is it
- Does it use a new FB feature—FB Stories, FB Live
What All This Means for You
1.
Create content that connects people
Spark conversations with stories that have meaning
2.
Step up your interactive content game
Consider creating a variety of content formats to engage followers—from videos to Lives
3.
Diversify your story
Stop looking to one single channel for social success, create different content for different channels