How’s your social media experience these days? Does your business have a Facebook account that last posted in February 2018? Are your current posts only getting a couple of likes each –– at the very most? Is your LinkedIn page sitting lonesome with an outdated picture of a former employee –– and two followers that include your neighbor and that guy you think maybe went to your high school, but you’re not exactly sure?
YEAH YEAH Agency is a marketing firm launched in March 2020 to help small businesses, nonprofits, and influencers to find success in the world of social media. Early in our journey as a company, we came across a little trick to make our online experience less of a chore. This method is now guiding the way we represent clients. We want to share it with you.
A common phrase we hear from people tasked with managing their business’s social media is that it is a “necessary evil.” The fact that social media is necessary has become an indisputable fact. While it’s certainly possible to run a business without a website or Facebook, more of your clients, customers and prospects are seeking you out online. And that will only continue in the future.
Truth is, most find maintaining a current website and social media presence tedious, hard to manage, and nearly impossible to gain traction with a fickle online audience.
Our goal is to help you look at your social media efforts a little differently. It’s very possible to overcome the challenges of a stale social media presence. I will show you how to make your social media experience a positive force in both your personal and business communications.
Much ink has been spilled over the last decade with counsel and advice for individuals and businesses on navigating the ever-changing world of social media. The solutions typically offer a mix of art and science.
But really, there’s only one rule that truly matters to guarantee success on social media. And it’s actually more simple to explain than all of the other social media advice. This simple rule isn’t based on the latest social media data or analytics. It’s really more art than science.
Before I get to what this one simple rule is, it’s important to highlight a few social media buzzwords we often hear. The big one these days is “empathy.” By empathy, the gurus will say that you should put on the shoes of your audience. Try to understand them. Give them what they want. This is partially true, and our one simple rule fills in the rest of the puzzle.
The other buzzwords that have floated in the social media space for years are “engagement” and “growth.” The sweet spot of social media success is engagement, which occurs when your audience reacts to a post. If you post and hear nothing but crickets, it can be disheartening and create a lonely environment that feels more like you’re talking to yourself than being “social.” It will drive anyone away from posting since February 2018. But if you get likes and comments, you have created engaging content that resonates.
Above engagement is growth. When word spreads and your social media influence increases, your audience shares your content with their network, which leads to more followers and a wider reach.
This brings me to the simple rule of social media that when followed, will tackle empathy, engagement and growth all at once. The rule is this: don’t be boring. Don’t be boring online, that is. Offline is a whole different matter!
In future posts, we will break this concept down, offer case studies of what we mean, how this “not boring” method can work for your business, and ultimately how to make your social media experience more fulfilling. More successful, too.
Until then, think about the areas in your work that you might find “boring” but others might find interesting. Drop us a line to share some of your ideas. And here’s to a less boring online experience!
