At one point, maybe even recently, you asked yourself, "I've opened a Facebook page for my business, but now what? What kind of content do I upload?"
One of the biggest challenges facing a brand, when trying to develop its social media presence, is planning a content strategy. To implement it correctly, it requires the brand to be online at all times. No, it doesn't mean non-stop scrolling through your favorite blog. Yes, it does mean 24/7 of updating fresh and engaging content and interacting with your community.
And while asking, "What should I post?" is an excellent question, to find the correct answer, you may have to come from the other side. Instead of focusing only on what you want to upload to your page, think about what your target audience would like to see on the page. It is only with a clever balance between a company's values and a user's identity that true success can be created.
Often times a brand unintentionally alienates their fan base by posting content that essentially regurgitates their sales promotions into bite-sized posts. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with highlighting brand achievements and showcasing the amazing products your company has to offer- this is all important, because it helps to set you apart from the competitors-but to truly gain a foothold with consumers you need more.
Social media is all about connecting and engaging with people. Put a face, and voice, to your brand and have fun. If we were to only translate product promotions we'll end up reaching a dead end pretty quickly. A brand that chooses to win in social is a brand that participates in the conversation and finds a way to humanize the public's perception of them.
But how exactly does a brand choose which content to post? This is where the hard part comes in. If you are a serious brand, posting college-humor type photos is not relevant. However, it doesn't mean that sometimes you can't post light-hearted content. Whether you're at the beginning stages, or conducting a necessary social audit, there are some important questions you should be asking yourself, as it relates to your audience: Are we using the correct voice? Are these pictures engaging enough? Are the posts interesting enough? Are we in line with the brand's values? Most importantly, is it relevant to our target audience?
When it comes down to it, creating an effective content strategy is two sides of the same coin- you have to promote the brand's presence and engaging the community. After all, didn't JFK once say, "Ask not what your consumers can do for you - ask what you can do for your consumers"?
Well, I'm sure he would have if he lived in today's digital age.