You’re Posting the Wrong Content

You’re Posting the Wrong Content. Many businesses, especially startups, live in a vacuum. They hear only their own voices. So when it comes to social media, Linked IN, for example, they POST and SHARE and LIKE and COMMENT about content that promotes their company or cause. But that’s really counter-productive. And the reason is all of the people who work at the company that’s being promoted are caught in an echo chamber, repeating or sharing what each other has said about the company and the product or service they already know. But that message falls on deaf ears outside of that small group.

Some executives think posting company news is the way to go. They think that Linked IN and Twitter are just like PRWeb. They’re just additional platforms to share the good news. But they’re not. Social Media Networks are defined by the words included in their description. Social does not mean SALES, NOT PROMOTION. It means SOCIAL. Talking about LIKE things with people WHO DON’T KNOW EACH OTHER for the purpose of NETWORKING, or building connections. Not connecting to buy a product or service. If they like what the other has to say then they can LIKE, CONNECT, or FOLLOW them. In this way, they use the platform to grow their own message and share their own views. Think of it as traditional networking. It’s not about pitching your product or service, but rather about CONNECTING a new acquaintance with someone that can help them out and hopefully, having them return the favor to you. Look at it this way: the person you’re looking to do business with is CONNECTED to the person that is FOLLOWING you.

Think about this for a minute. Provided you’ve been on Linked IN for more than a year, have you ever been solicited? And if so have you ever purchased from the solicitation? You’re more likely to research the subject and glean information from blogs or even Linked IN feeds than to buy directly from an unknown solicitor. As for MEDIA, that refers to images and videos that are SHARED to bring more engagement to the DISCUSSION. A press release is an ANNOUNCEMENT. A string on Linked IN is a CONVERSATION. So, to grow your FOLLOWERS on Linked IN, you should focus primarily on joining relevant industry DISCUSSIONS. Of course, you’ll want to SHARE your big company announcement when it happens, but that shouldn’t be the only content on your business social media accounts.

Examples of what to post about include:

  1. Discussing the problem your company solves
  2. Other related and unrelated industry innovations
  3. The risks facing the client base you serve
  4. Your big company news
  5. And every once in a while, something of general interest including humor or some other form of entertainment

People don’t want to be SOLD. But everyone is always BUYING. And we buy from the salesperson and the company that we trust. I trust the person who doesn’t appear to be selling me but instead LISTENS to my challenges and EDUCATES me on solutions. So if you’re posting the wrong content, content that is ADVERTORIAL or PROMOTIONAL only, then start to focus on content that EDUCATES and INFORMS your target audience. Whenever possible use motion graphics or videos to better explain yourself. Now you’re SOCIALly engaged with your new MEDIA and NETWORKing with LIKE-MINDED individuals. You’ll see more engagement and, provided you have a competitive product or service, more SALES.

– t

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