4 Ways to Create Authentic Social Media Content

Ok, here we go....

First off, attribute authorship. Ok, your company has a “voice,” but there’s always a human being somewhere on the end of a Tweet or blog post. “Admin” is not a blog author. “Bob Hutchins” is a blog author. You can attribute authorship with Twitter, too.

Next, take the time to listen. Creating content is not about being a loudspeaker. It’s about having a conversation. It’s common for brands to make at least one of these two mistakes: (1) They only talk, and never listen. (2) They assume they know what their audience wants to hear. Avoid these pitfalls by actively asking your customers for feedback.

Also, there are tons of great analytic tools out there, so use them! If people are coming to your blog through a “peanut butter sandwich” keyword phrase, then maybe you should be creating more content about peanut butter sandwiches and less about ham! Common sense, right? You’d be surprised how many companies would instead think, “There must be a problem with our ‘ham’ content,” while neglecting the obvious peanut butter opportunity right in front of them!

Third, share content you didn’t create. You can’t be a creative genius all the time. And, even if you were, it’d be kind of antisocial of you. So, when you see a great piece of content – video, blog post, Tweet, etc. – share it with your followers. This helps build trust and rapport with your followers. It shows you aren’t trying to close the sale 100% of the time.

Last, but not least, respond to individuals. I’ve found that many people who are new to social media believe they should always speak to the masses – that by responding to individual inquiries, they’re wasting their time. This couldn’t be further from the truth. When you publicly acknowledge a complaint or otherwise engage with an individual customer, it has a ripple effect. Other users get to see your company being authentic on social media. Plus, you may turn that disgruntled customer into your biggest fan!

What are your top digital marketing objectives for 2020? What items do you see as most important?