“So, how do we determine what ‘good’ means for a social feed?” This question comes up a lot in our line of business. While the answer may look different for every individual company, there are some frameworks that can be applied across the board.
Here, we break down some of our best practices, key questions, and advice.
It’s all about #Goals
It’s natural for B2B companies that are in their Series B round of funding to have different marketing goals than a publicly traded enterprise, but no matter where a business may be on its growth journey, being aligned on how social media can be used to supplement the overall message is key to a “good” feed!
Using goals effectively to help define “good” breaks down into three steps:
- Establish goals. The first task is to figure out what you want to achieve with your social media messaging. Reaching a new audience segment, getting on the radar of key industry players, and building your brand’s thought leadership profile are all fine goals. But each requires its own strategic approach.
While it’s common to pursue more than one of these goals at a time, be aware that the more you try to do, the more complex and difficult it will be to achieve a “good” feed. It’s best to tackle one or two goals at a time and revisit them periodically to make critical adjustments. (See point three for tips on how to revisit goals!) - Define what “good” means using data. Determine which metrics are most important to your brand’s marketing strategy. All the numbers in the world mean very little if they don’t serve your strategic goals.
If higher engagement is the primary goal for your social media profiles, you’ll want to first define what “good” and “bad” post performance looks like. For example, if your company profile normally gets 3% engagement on posts, above a 4% engagement rate would be a “good” post. Once you have the hard data, let subjectivity play its part. Look into the intangible factors that impact post performance. This can have to do with subject matter, industry challenges, role-specific obstacles, etc. We often find that posts that speak to the pain points of a specific audience segment tend to resonate better within that audience. We’ve also found that pictures of puppies perform well across every demographic. - Revisit these goals regularly. Here are questions to consider as you reevaluate your goals:
- Are we moving toward or achieving the goals we have outlined?
- Has our messaging changed since we last set up our goals?
- Has the environment in which we’re broadcasting changed?
- What are the overall marketing goals we are using social to supplement?
Hallmarks of a “good” social media feed
The heart of a “good” social media feed is authenticity. And you achieve authenticity by setting and then meeting expectations for your audience.
By achieving consistency in what your audience can expect from your social media posts, you can avoid massive swings in your follower count and erratic engagement numbers. When in doubt, always go back to your brand’s key messages and use those to work toward achieving your goals.
A “good” feed will feel cohesive. This means that posts should come from the same point of view, which is called voice. While tone can change depending on what you’re talking about, the voice should stay consistent. Here’s an example: A eulogy and a birthday toast are drastically different in tone, but both should reflect the speaker’s viewpoint and lived experience—their voice.
An important aspect of establishing consistency on your social media feeds is formatting. Social media is a visual experience, and how you format your posts matters. A “good” social media feed is visually consistent, which includes hashtag usage.
Only use two or three on Twitter, and three to five on Facebook and LinkedIn. While we’re at it, make sure your hashtags use #TitleCase. This is important for readability and accessibility.
Keep the “social” in social media
Use social media the way it’s intended—with social interaction at the forefront of your strategy. Don’t be afraid of interactive content such as polls, conversation starters, and in-feed video. The hidden bonus? Oftentimes the algorithms that rule social media will reward you for not sending people off their platform.
Remember to utilize quote tweets, the new repost function on LinkedIn, and to tag people who deserve to be tagged due to their involvement in the content that you’re posting. Shining a light on others is the best way to have them shine their light back on you! Be an advocate! It can never hurt!
Looking Under The Hood
How can we look at a feed and determine if it’s living up to our standard of good? First, go back to the agreed-upon goals from all stakeholders. If you’re working toward those (or exceeding them!) you’re likely on the path to a “good” feed.
Here’s a handy-dandy checklist of steps to take:
- Look at the feed natively. Experience your published posts as your audience does.
- Make sure basics are being handled. This means posting consistently, posting about what your audience cares about, and maintaining a consistent format on all your posts.
- Don’t do something just for the sake of doing it. Special days can be a valuable tool in your social media toolkit, but make sure these posts are aligned with the overall messaging and values of your brand.
- Assume your audience is smart! Everyone is constantly inundated with marketing and advertising, so make sure you offer something of value to your audience.
- Remember that perfection is the enemy of good. If something is 80% good, push to get to 81% good, don’t beat yourself up for not being at 100%. Identify one thing you can improve and handle that first. Then do it again!
Ready to get started with “good” B2B social media marketing? Let’s talk!