It’s hard to ignore just how much social media has taken the advertising and marketing world by storm. From the beginnings of a millennial-led movement to a full-blown industry changer, social media has transformed how we choose the products we buy, and more importantly how we connect with others to create communities around brands and people alike. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat are only some of the many content-centered sites that aim to reach their audiences directly through personalized targeted visual and written messaging.
There are a few main stepping stones to master in order to truly create content that will take your accounts from novice to established in the digital media world. Understanding how to appeal to your audiences can vary depending on the product or service you are trying to sell, but by focusing on these aspects of your messaging, you’re sure to be on your way to social media guru.
The Foundations of Good Content:
Aesthetic
1. Color- It’s important to maintain a specific color scheme or look for your visual content. There needs to be a flow of the images you publish so that when individuals are viewing your profile as a whole, they see a common thread of what is being conveyed in terms of hue or tone. For a light and airy feel, use more cool and bright filters. For more bold and colorful content, make friends with contrast and saturation.
*Tip: Choose 5 filters that you feel resonate with the appeal of your product or the values of your organization. Apply only these filters to your images and videos so that there is a more specific personality of your content.
2. View- Remember to alternate between photos of your product, people and zoomed in vs. zoomed out photos. Having a feed that features a lot of photos with a ton going on in each can become overwhelming. Mix simplicity with intricacy. Aim to produce content that is not just appealing, but eye-catching in order to make it stand out from the next product.
3. Language- Essentially, creating a certain tone for the language that you use to address your audience or promote your business is crucial to exhibiting the personality of your company culture and values. Your social media platforms are an extension of who your people are and what you do. Remember that you should aim to show a variety of things which make your company unique.
*Tip: Choose three adjectives to describe your social media content. When adding to your collection of photos and videos, test whether your new content matches the criteria of exuding these three adjectives. This will help to maintain a more cohesive feed.
Purpose
1. Simplicity- Depending on your product or service, there can be a knowledge or capability gap in terms of understanding and operating what you are providing your consumer. Sometimes, taking it back to the basics and outright showing how something is made, how it has changed over time and how it is evolving can make consumers feel like they understand its role in their industry more. Giving history behind a product or company can also help to build brand loyalty.
2. Developing a Need- Although they may not have to know every detail, it is important to reveal how your business can meet the need that the audience may have by specifically showing that need and your direct solution. This will make viewers that don’t even realize they have this need want your product; therefore expanding your consumer base.
*Tip: If there is a product you sell, exemplify not only how customers could traditionally use it, but how their creativity can transform it for another purpose! For example, Quaker is not the first company you may associate with skin care and modeling clay, yet both are advertised as alternate uses for the same oats they sell for the typical cooking use.
The Latest Trends:
1. Ephemeral Content Creates Highest Engagement- Although you may commonly think of Snapchat as the most popular platform for ephemeral content, platforms like Instagram and Facebook have recently created their own features for audiences to post and view material that is only available for a set amount of time. “Stories”, as originally created by Snapchat, have a 24 hour viewing period which allows for a more up to date, casual, and timely interaction between digital producers and consumers. Utilize this to post updates and information which doesn’t necessarily need to be saved for customers to understand or want your product, but to build your brand’s appeal.
2. Influencer Marketing- Nowadays, it may be hard to separate the honest influencers from the paid people that just maintain a large following. Warning, influencers must be carefully considered for their reach, appeal, motivation for partnership and impact on your product. Choose people that represent your audience at large and can relate to the needs of your consumers. Also, choose people that will use the product and be an avid supporter of your brand specifically.
3. Video- We’ve seen how visual content has changed the advertising sphere, and video has even bigger capabilities to impact consumers. Video provides for a deeper understanding of a product’s capabilities or its appeal.
*Tip: Before you dive into video, go back to the basics. Create content that is high quality. Use a high-resolution camera, ensure clear and loud audio and make the video on programs that are easily converted and/or accessible on all devices and/or sites.
The most important thing to take into consideration when developing your social media is how you will feature your company’s culture and values through the content you produce. Don’t be afraid to alter your strategy on reaching your specific market from time to time to see how they respond. Social media is ever changing and you never know what trend will take the digital sphere by storm next. Happy tweeting, posting and creating!