I’ve always said that building social media content is like throwing a party… You have to be ready on time, be polite yet engaging, and give party goers a great combination of entertainment and insight into big topics. But time and time again, companies try to use social media like a bullhorn, spraying, praying, and talking only about themselves.
If someone like that showed up to my party, I’d nicely ask them to leave – wouldn’t you?
However, sometimes someone shows up on the scene with their captivating looks and charming conversation. These are the people you want to come to your party, and probably the type of guest you want to be yourself! When you use social media correctly, you’ll be invited to all of the gatherings and people from within your industry and beyond will be ready to listen to what you have to say.
So, lace up your dancing shoes and dust off that old suit jacket. It’s time to light up the room with your digital strategy.
DO: Boost Your Conversation Game
Conversation is key when you’re trying to engage with new acquaintances. Who else do they know at the party? How are they connected to your friends? What do they like to do on the weekends? Do they follow the same teams you do?
When you meet someone, conversation happens naturally. Take the same approach when you’re working on your social media strategy; reply to comments, ask engaging questions, and give customers a reason to get to know you better!
DON’T: Ignore Other Party-Goers
Parties aren’t any fun if you don’t engage with other people. Whether they have a question to ask you, want to congratulate you on a recent accomplishment, or have some constructive criticism, be open and transparent. You might just find that by doing so, you gain some new friends in the process.
DO: Be Relevant
You know that old guy in the corner talking about “Back in my day…” while piling mini quiches onto his plate? Don’t be that guy. (He usually ends up eating his quiches by himself and leaving early anyways.) Being relevant with what you have to offer other attendees goes hand-in-hand with having great conversation, but sometimes we get so caught up in talking about ourselves or a product we offer that we don’t even take the time to listen to what other people are telling us. Slow it down. Make sure that you’re jiving with the conversations going on around you and be ready to jump in with insightful or timely content! Even better, create content that ties in with current events!
DON’T: Be Insensitive
Just because your content is relevant doesn’t always mean that it’s going to be sensitive to the nature of certain events happening around the world. Take this example from Gap and be sure to always address your customers’ needs first and relevant content second.
DO: Get Loose on the Dance Floor
It’s a party, for crying out loud! Don’t be afraid to have a little fun.
