Five content ideas for social media business success

Five content ideas for social media business success

Most SMEs realise that a strong social media presence is a key requirement for business. But the two biggest difficulties can be:

  • Finding time to build that presence

  • Getting a strong return on investment on that social media effort.

Many businesses focus on audience numbers. But they fail to apply the same focus to engagement and conversion.

It is vital to have a clear business objective as to why you are online, and a strong content strategy in place to achieve that objective. Having an in-depth knowledge of your target audience is the first step in planning that content strategy. The hard work can then be utilised in creating interesting and engaging content, with a clear call to action to drive that audience to your ultimate business objective.

Many companies outsource their social media management to experts who have a clear knowledge of what works for business in the online space. Others manage their social media presence in-house.

If you do, here are five content ideas that can be applied to a variety of social platforms to engage and guide your target audience to achieve your ROI objective.

 

  1. Inside your business. Tell your story

We are a nosy bunch online and love nothing more than seeing what happens behind the scenes of someone’s business. Whether it be a fresh product delivery, or the working on a design or service, it is simple to whip out the phone and take a 30 second video or picture showcasing a part of daily working life.

Putting your staff or work team in the spotlight is a fantastic way to reflect your business. A short video or quote from a staff member will personalise the business and help to build relationships with your online audience as they connect with that person. Post this content with a clear call to action, and measure the success rate, and which part of your business is most engaging. Knowing what performs best, and using that information as best practice for future posts, will strengthen your brand online.

  1. Competitions

Competitions will always drive engagement and are a fantastic way of connecting your product or service with the online audience.

Create questions that include your business objective. If that is to drive traffic to your website, then have the online audience go to the website to find the answer. Alternatively, you may ask a question about the product, therefore guiding the audience to focus on it.

Avoid ‘like and share’ competitions. While they may gain volume metrics, the audience are less likely to focus on the business itself. Always engage and show a clear transparency throughout the competition process as how you conduct the competition. This will reflect on how you operate within your brand parameters.

  1. ‘How to’ and Customer Service Posts

These posts are a great way to showcase your expertise and can be highly informative for your online audience. Turn your social media post into a customer service solution!

Ask yourself:

  • What questions do my customers ask?

  • What problems do they have?

And then start to create content that solves those problems. The content can be formatted by video, image, graphic or text, and be embedded and shared from your website. This then builds a resource that can create time efficiencies for your customer service team.

  1. Hot news topics – what’s trending?

Regularly check trending hashtags on platforms like Twitter to see if the topic is relevant to your business.

For example: If everyone is talking about the budget and I’m an accountant, seize that opportunity and create content around the budget. Address the concerns and conversations your existing and potential customers/clients are having. Post online and incorporate the trending hashtag in your post. Do this ONLY if it is relevant and do not use as a direct promotional tool; use it to add value to the conversation topic.

News that adds value doesn’t have to be trending news. The news stories that pertain directly to your business can add value to your brand online. Every business with a website should have a news/blog section where content can be embedded and shared. This will drive traffic to your website and, if you have clear and strategic “call to actions” within the content, ultimately create a better ROI.

  1. External links and quotes

Set up online alerts using relevant keywords associated with your industry. If you see external content that you think will create value for your audience, then share it on your own social media platforms. Tag and credit the original source when you can, as this has the added value of building online relationships with both industry peers and industry influencers.

Source quotes online that are relevant to your industry and that will add value to your social media audience. You have a huge opportunity to showcase your brand personality in how you present this content. Creating graphics using image creation tools such as Canva and Pablo that are branded with your logo can grab the eye online, and has the potential to be shared more easily.

These are just a few of the types of content you can create as part of your social media strategy and calendar. There are lots more ways to attract a relevant audience to your business online, and there will be a period of testing before you find the content type that is best for you.

Present your content ideas in formats that have both synergies with your business brand and the social platform you are posting on.

Video is currently a huge driver on social media, and images/infographics are always appealing online. Work on the medium that suits your business, and be consistent in your personality, tone and presentation. Most importantly be authentic and transparent to your audience who are your potential customer. They will expect to encounter the same brand ethos offline that they have experienced in the digital space.

 

More about Eileen:

Eileen McCabe is co-founder of social and content creative agency, Content Plan, alongside internationally recognised social media trainer Greg Fry. A specialist in content creation and promotion, Eileen has managed several high profile digital campaigns with established stakeholders including Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur, Student Enterprise Awards Programme and National Women’s Enterprise Day. A co-author on a number of social business reports, she has found that regular content creation that adds value to the online audience will most definitely add value to brand reputations too.

Content Plan can be found at www.contentplan.co They also provide social media management services for small business and SMEs through www.socialmediapackages.ie.