How to maximise your social media output

If you’re clicking “publish” and hoping for the best, you’re doing it wrong. Any marketing strategy needs just that – strategy.

All too often, companies and content creators alike are cutting corners, repurposing the same web content for an array of other platforms. And the logic makes sense, in theory: increase your distribution, increase your visibility and thus share of voice.

However, in mastering the art of social media marketing, companies will soon find out that one size doesn’t fit all. To hone your brand messaging and have it heard by the right audience, you’ll need content that is tailor-made and platform-specific.

Here are three no-frills ways to maximise your social media output:  

Make visuals accessible

Everyone should have equal access to the content you put out, regardless of disabilities or special needs. Not only does this widen your audience pool, but it also, more importantly, supports a digital domain that’s diverse and inclusive.

With publishers reporting that as many as 85 per cent of videos are viewed with the sound off, subtitles should be a no-brainer. Content that’s compelling without audio is already ahead of the curve; but if dialogue is necessary, captions and subtitles are a must for those who are hearing-impaired.

Facebook and Twitter also offer alt text features, which describes the image when it doesn’t display properly. For users with a visual impairment, alt text is recognised by screen readers. Platforms such as Instagram don’t have a specific alt text field, but a short descriptive caption will do the trick.

Choose your platforms carefully

It’s unlikely you will head to Instagram and read about what’s in the news. The same way that you’re probably unlikely to visit LinkedIn to get your fix of memes. No two platforms are the same, which is why it’s crucial to get into the mindset of your target audience and think about where they are most likely to engage with your content.

Know your objectives

After deciding on a platform, the next step is choosing the medium that delivers the most impact. Question is, what’s your intended impact? Your objective will help inform your content format, between a link, photo, video or a combination of the three.

Consider, in a perfect world, the journey your user would take after viewing the content. It could be a variety of actions including commenting, considering, purchasing, engaging or simply being more informed.

Once you’ve defined your user journey, think about the easiest way they would arrive at this action by ruling out all other options. Users are more likely to continue the journey if you’ve only asked them to do one thing.

For example, if your goal was newsletter registrations, your content would take the shape of a sign-up form rather than a video. The form is a one-action process, whereas a video would require two actions – to watch and sign up. Similarly, a post that poses a question has a clear route of action: to comment. Limit what you ask of your user to the bare minimum and make it easy for them to follow your intended user journey.

If social media sensations (we’re looking at you, salt bae and dancing hot dog) were any indication, there’s no telling what type of content truly takes off. While there’s no single ingredient to viral posts, keeping these three tips in mind will help amplify your social media efforts and produce measurable results.