Note to readers: On social media, in conversations, and in press releases and interviews, we all tell stories about ourselves and our businesses. This is a monthly column on how to tell more compelling stories. Each column will look at one aspect of content strategy for individuals, companies and brands.
As a content strategy consultant, I often get asked what’s the best way to be on every single social media channel to amplify a message. The answer is to not be on every single platform.
Marketers often feel the need to be seen everywhere. The truth is, businesses need to be on the right social media platform. Being everywhere does not beef up your message. It does the opposite - it dilutes your message because a fixed marketing budget has to be spliced and diced and redistributed among several channels, some of which your target audience may never be on. It’s the same principle as valuable real estate. The key to appreciation is location, location, location.
Let’s say you are a maker of pistons. It is hard to see how your target audience, mostly business-to-business clients, will be on Instagram or Facebook, on the lookout for piston makers. It may help for you to be on LinkedIn, which is mostly for businesses, talking about the new technology that makes your product better which makes you an easy choice for your customers.
Your marketing budget may be spent even better on trade journals, by hosting events that potential clients may attend and by being heard and seen at industry events and on community forums. You could do well by getting your in-house experts to write thought leadership pieces on engineering or the future of your industry.
On the other hand, if you are a home baker, both Facebook and Instagram offer a convenient platform for you to showcase your products. Instagram, in particular, is all about visuals. This doesn't mean that you have to bake goodies each day and post pictures of cupcakes with frosting and macaroons in pastel shades to get reader attention. You could do that but you could post more interesting video stories. Instagram has recently said they are looking to encourage more videos.
You could upload a reel to show where you shop for the best ingredients, a little story on the magic ingredient in your cookies or a quick demonstration on how to whip cream to perfection. Stories that demonstrate why you are passionate about baking and why your audience should buy your products, will help you build your audience.
Should a home baker be on LinkedIn? Sure, if you get a large order from a client that demonstrates your ability to take on corporate orders, but if that is not your goal, stay focused on channels such as Instagram and Facebook where your target audience resides.
Marketeers often forget that people spend hours on social media to build their profile, before they get noticed. In the real world, we have a limited number of hours and tight budgets. So the goal of any marketer should be to get on the right channel and work on building their presence and a loyal following on that channel, rather than being everywhere.
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