So, so much to compete with! Are you feeling overwhelmed – doing all the work you are told you should be doing, but feeling you are getting nowhere? These quick tips should help you find some cut-through.
You can no longer just generate content, hit publish and expect crowds and follows. You need to be strategic to be effective.
Here are a few tips on how to stop the scroll and get genuine engagement:
Jump to:
1. Have a content strategy
Do you have a content strategy? Are you saying ‘what’s that?’
The good news is a popular template already exists for this, called the Content Honeycomb. Several organisations have presented their own version of it, but basically it is like any strategic planning and gives you a framework that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of your content.
Some questions to ask yourself before you publish include: Who are my key audiences? What platform/s will I share content on? How much time will I need to commit to this to drive it forward? Do I need to invest in any resources? And do I have a goal?
You also need to establish what your benchmark for engagement will be – is it click through rate (CTR), engagement rate, increased follows? What does greater cut-through mean to you?
2. Pump the persona
People like people – so insert yourself, your staff – into your social content to keep it genuine. With the rise of AI and bots, algorithms are increasingly searching for real faces and real voices, which will help put your content up to the top.
There are two basic ways to think about your audience personas – demographics and psychographics. Demographics is the breakdown of age, gender, location, education etc. Whereas psychographics goes into more detail about what an audience likes and why they engage. You need to know which one of these you are appealing to, and adjust how you present your organisation accordingly to get that cut-through and appeal to their scrolling minds.
3. Focus your brand
One of the big errors of content production is when it is all over the place – responding to nice moments, nice images, in-the-moment good ideas. You are a brand. Look like one.
‘Focusing on what makes you different from others who work in similar areas or markets will allow you to fine-tune your content so it can only come from you. This is a sure way to stand out and create cut-through,’ says ArtsHub writer Brooke Boland in an earlier story.
And create some templates that graphically build a consistent brand. These make your content delivery easier to also just rejig and reuse. A no-brainer – ensure you use the same colour palette and font. This way you start to get quick recognition, which again can build engagement levels.
4. Cut the workload down
Once you have created content that has a clear audience in mind, and is on brand, repurpose it across different social media platforms. Why let all that work go to waste. It means you are capturing different audiences with one hit – so multiply the eyeballs and engagement.
The bottom line is you can’t just focus on one social media channel these days, but it can be easy to navigate multiple channels.
5. Surf trends and reuse content
Also, it is a good idea to think about how you can repost content that you may have already created, but which may currently have new relevance. For example, something topical could prompt you to pull out that old podcast on the same subject and give it a fresh airing. This is a double win.
Similarly, if something happens in the calendar, capture the trending topic of the day and post content that is relevant. For example, when Notre Dame caught fire, that was an opportune moment to pull out images of paintings of Notre Dame from your collection.
6. Collaborate
A newish function on Instagram is to invite collaboration – this is an immediate potential doubling of your audience, pooling your followers with theirs. It is a great way to build visibility.
The same could be said for getting “ambassadors” for your brand. Again, they bring with them their following, and endorsement, which is a great way to expand your audience.
7. Yes, engage with those comments
Always engage with your followers by responding when they comment positively on your post or ask questions. The same when someone DMs (direct messages) you – jump on it within a day. Today, community and loyalty are everything when it comes to brands – it also keeps your content genuine (and shows it’s not just pushed out by a bot).
When you are working within a team, ensure this role is delegated for consistency.
8. Keep an eye on your analytics
Tracking is made easier with the use of analytics, and many platforms offer their own, as well as companies that can do this for you across all your platforms (usually for a membership fee).
It is essential to track what is working for you, and know what posts are getting engagement.
9. Don’t be static
Sure, you have found something that works and is getting traction, so the first response is “don’t change what’s not broken”. But social media moves fast, and to stay visible you need to stay fresh.
Test out different things and see how your audience responds. Also test out different times to send. Video is huge on social media at the moment (again), so mix it up and ensure you are diversifying your content offering.
10. Don’t underestimate SEO and algorithms
Don’t underestimate the power of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and use of keywords – or, in the case of TikTok, learn which words you can’t use because they will result in your post being blocked.
Also understand what the algorithms search for; for example, hashtags are great on TikTok with less text, while on Instagram they have become an impediment to traction and text is preferred. Similarly, TikTok prefers videos with smiling faces talking about things rather than voiceovers, whereas Instagram Reels want to reveal things and not have you in the way all the time. These things will all impact how your content cuts through doom scrolling.
11. Think about pathways
Ensure you have a direction for action on your contents – such as a linktree on Instagram, which can take people to your website to learn more, or the gallery presenting your exhibition, or your online shop etc.
