Have you ever heard the phrase, “a minute to learn, a lifetime to master?”
Social media can feel that way sometimes. It’s pretty simple to compose a post, upload an image, and add a link. You know it’s a good idea to be active on social media, so you keep at it as often as you can, posting updates, helpful information, or even just sharing a chuckle.
Of course, not every post is a hit. But every once in a while, something takes off! Aha, you might think, I’ve finally figured out what these people want from me!
The next day, armed with your newfound social media confidence, you compose a similar post, click “Publish,” and wait for the likes and shares to roll in.
And wait.
And wait.
And…nothing.
What gives?
Here’s the deal: there is no 100% sure-fire way to ensure that every single post you publish will go viral. Social media isn’t about lining up the perfect shot and hitting the bullseye every time, it’s more of a “shotgun” approach — we publish lots of bits and pieces of content into the general direction of our audience, and see what sticks.
With that being said, we can still look at the social media posts that are successful and identify what qualities they share. That’s exactly what we did with our own social media posts for 2019, and now we’re here to let you in on our findings!
So, without further ado, here are the trends or qualities we found across our successful social media posts:
#1: Make it Personal
Sometimes we forget that the whole reason people use social media networks in the first place is to connect with others. They’re called social networks for a reason!
Some of our best-performing posts for 2019 reflect this. People love posts that are less about your business and more about you — or your employees, clients, or partners. Show off the personal side of your organization with “get to know you” posts about your employees, celebrate your favorite customers, and let us see your team having fun enjoying what they do!
#2: Skip the Sales Pitch
What brings people back to a Facebook page, time and time again?
Is it because they enjoy scrolling through post after post of advertisements and product details?
Or is it because the page offers a regular stream of content that inspires, engages, and informs?
Not every single post on your page has to be about your products and services. In fact, they don’t have to have anything to do with your business at all! Celebrate your local community, share an interesting article, or educate your audience.
#3: Don’t Skimp on Quality
No matter what you’re posting about, or where, the content you publish on social media is a reflection on your business.
A high-quality social media post should include a clear, high-resolution image paired with text content that’s accurate and error-free. Take the time to review the images you plan to post, and perform some gentle editing if necessary.
Not only do better quality images correlate with higher performance, but they also communicate something important about your business: that you pay attention to the little details.
#4: Keep it Clear
One of our most successful posts of 2019 was seven words of text with a link to the client’s home page, along with an image that included another three words: “By Your Side.”
There is a lot of information shared on social media every minute of every day. When it comes to capturing the attention of your audience, it’s often the case that “less is more” — at least in terms of how much information you pack into a single post.
Keep your messaging clear and consistent, and your content will pack a punch!
We hope these insights into the elements of a successful social media post help you up your own social media game! If you’d like an extra hand with your social media marketing, we’re more than happy to help. Drop us a line today and let’s start the conversation!
