Today I have no news, just the reaffirmation of a fact: the authenticity of social media content is what opens the door to an audience truly interested in our offerings.
Since I’ve been boasting about having a website, I’ve been browsing other pages, too. Other craftsmen, much better than I am, much more lettered, at least in social media, and certainly much more skilled. So, I glean what I read between the lines.
People need to smile
The quality of a product or service we promote cannot reach the consumer through the advertisement we make. We don’t convince them it’s top quality with a few polished images and sentences. How great our offers are, they will only see when they try them. And to get there, to the point where they want to try, it takes novelty and story. A stroke of genius in social media content.
I did a simple test, together with some friends. We searched for some ads and asked ourselves:
Would I like to continue this story?
We found few stories really worth to be continued. Incidentally, we also had a lot of fun, because we really didn’t joke and we carry them further But we also found many dull ads, without thread, without emotion.
Number of followers or engagement rate?
At the beginning, it was the number of followers. That’s what I struggled for too, because that was the trend. It seemed to me the culmination of my success in social networks. It wasn’t meant to be.
Because the number of followers was replaced with the engagement rate. With the decline of purely organic social networks (i.e., posts without support), we must be willing to boost our content to reach not only our community but also consumers who may not follow us.
Different thinking, different strategy, I told myself. Yes, and not quite. Putting engagement first encourages me to be creative and helps build stronger relationships with potential beneficiaries.
Content created by a human being and not by a marketing machine connects brands with consumers on an emotional, not transactional level.
Do you want to connect with Generation Z?
I’m interested in this aspect, and again I returned to the authenticity of social media content and its organic nature. Cheerful, inspirational, and useful content. By the way, according to GWI data (Global Wellness Institute), these are the top three things Generation Z wants to find in their social media feeds.
Three ways to make successful connections
Trendjacking
It may be “trendy,” but make sure first that ”the trend fits the brand”, product, or service, and then look for current topics, hashtags, events, or memes and find the best ways to incorporate your offer.
Listen to people
The simplest way to understand what people want is to listen to them. Follow the conversations. Read your comments, invest in a social listening service, and think about the authenticity of the content based on the information received.
Ditch the gloss!
If up until now you’ve invested in video content that looks like it was filmed by a Hollywood team and been through a three-tier approval process, then you’ve made ads. And it’s not bad. It’s just that people want content that seems just taken from the reality they live, a little rough around the edges.
There is no doubt that with the rise of influencer marketing, sponsored content, and paid advertising, it has become harder to capture the audience’s attention.
However, authenticity is the way to go. It remains the best way to create content that communicates honestly with people and content that the target audience is truly excited to see.
