3 Ways to Choose Your Best Social Media Post

So you’ve taken the plunge.

You’ve started using Social Media for your business. Which one did you go with? Instagram? SnapChat?

Most people will reply with the tried-and-true Facebook. Why not? Facebook has 2 billion active monthly users. Even if you aren’t a global company, chances are, you have a deep pool to draw from. The question you have to answer is, what do you post?

You don’t know? You should. Everyone else does. Your competition surely knows. They’ve been using Facebook for over a year now. They’re experts right?

Not likely.

In fact, people are like Google. Their likes change, seemingly with the wind some days. What may work today, won’t tomorrow. And as the world turns, eventually, it will work again a year from now. So, where do you get your inspiration?

3 ways to figure out what you should post

• 1. Listen to the experts

  • There are a few people of note, but one very important recipe is to follow the teachings of Gary V. He will indelicately tell you over and over to document as opposed to create. If you have to start somewhere, start with the beginning of the day.

• 2. Ask your audience

  Every time you go to a client’s location or they come to yours, ask them what they’d like to see. Or stalk them. Virtually of course. Check out what they are sharing on Facebook and Twitter so you know what kinds of things they enjoy.

• 3. Ask your competition

  In truth, you won’t ask, you’ll take. Sort of. Do an audit of your competition to see what they are posting. Don’t just see what’s going up on their wall, check out what’s working. Audit for engagement; likes, shares, and comments. Replicate or share what works.

There are several different types of posts that you can use on Social media and every platform will highlight and support different types of posts differently. Sometimes you will be able to share the same content across several social media platforms, tweaking the language or an image. Often your audience will be different across the different platforms so you will be forced to come up with something different for each one.

What matters is that you are constantly counting. Make sure that what works today is still working tomorrow. Eventually you will want to experiment with your posts and unless you are recording, you won’t be able to compare.