There are more than forty-two million Facebook pages, and each one is trying to carve out an audience willing to connect. This content translates to texts, graphic images and videos being produced daily with the hope that it reaches a significant number of persons willing to engage. Most enterprise organizations outsource this task with an Advertising Agency whose purpose is to showcase their brand positively and to manage their online community.
Over the last decade, I've learnt that companies are still grappling with the necessary shift to Digital Marketing. I've experienced companies using newspapers ads for their social media campaigns, managers assigning digital to the youngest person in the room and graphic work denied without reason. The common thread in their approach is the unwillingness to try something new because change is hard. In the Caribbean, it's even harder because we assign innovation to corporations outside our shores, which is evident by our forex dependency.
I started AC Marketing under the assumption that Digital was an easy sell and the obvious next step for every Marketing Department. Still, I did not understand that Digital was not my main sell; it is change. This epiphany happened within the last five years of my desire to learn how to swim. After spending months in the pool and moving from one end to the next with ease, the fear of death lingered, as I kept training by the wall as my safety net. Lately, I've been wondering how many Marketing Managers are using their print and radio ads as a wall of safety? No one should swim into the unknown without the right tools, so here are the three questions you need to ask before creating content for your social media pages;
Who is this for?
It seems obvious, but humans walk around with mirrors believing everyone interprets everything the same way. Cognitive thinking is knowledge around experience, and a combination of our skills make us unique. Digital takes the singularity out of business decisions because it hands you data that help decide the best approach for your intended audience.
Why would they engage?
You are amazing, and so is your brand; unfortunately, no one cares unless it applies to their life. If you run an ad on my Instagram about baby food, you just gave Mark Zuckerberg your money with no return. Use the data to determine what your audience values and give it to them. Your customers will like, comment and share content that is relevant to their lives, no exceptions.
What action would you like them to take?
Building an audience is hard, but it's more cost-effective on social media. Use the algorithm to your advantage by encouraging your followers to act online. YouTubers tend to use terms like 'smash the like button', but it can also be subtle with words like 'Join' or Share'. You have to be instructive in your narrative because it's only a matter of seconds before their newsfeed is refreshed.
Write these questions down and keep asking them when you are creating content; it's crucial for your bottom line. As for me, I went from a twenty-five-meter pool newbie to a Half-Ironman finisher, change is hard, but it's worth it!
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