• by Katie Petrillo , August 23, 2013

A lot of brands feel pressure to participate in social media simply because they think they need a presence on these rapidly growing networks. However, brands shouldn't jump into social before they evaluate what they have to say and the value it offers their customers. Success on social media is directly connected to the quality of your content.

Why social needs quality content

For your brand to have a worthwhile presence on social media, you need to have something to say. And it needs to be something your customers care about enough to continue to follow your brand. To pique interest, encourage sharing, and keep customers returning for more, brands need to think about the quality of their content. Here are four things to consider as you try to stand out in the crowded world of social media.

1.  Timeliness     

Consider how to inject the sense of immediacy that presents a sense of urgency. It could be a coupon that expires in a matter of hours or a reaction to something that is happened in the world (for example, Oreo’s infamous blackout tweet during the Super Bowl).

2.  Newsworthiness   

Brand new information can provide lots of value, whether it's a new product, blog post, or recipe. It gives your brand credibility and shows that you offer fresh content that your customers are looking for on social.

3.  Insider View    

Especially when it comes to brands they love, some consumers want a behind-the-scenes look at how a product is developed (example: pictures from a factory) or a peek into the lives of the people who make the products they love.

4.  Wit    

A sense of humor will go a long way on social, and if you’re really funny, it might even go viral.

While the content may include multiple values, you only need to highlight one of these into each social media post to intrigue and engage your customers.

Why content needs social

The story is not one-sided. Great content needs a social media strategy to succeed. In this day and age, 84% of marketers use social media to promote their content. And it's likely that percentage will exceed 90% as more brands embrace social media.

One common mistake made by marketers is to assume their brand needs to be on every social network. However, it might not make sense for your brand to have a presence on each social network. Rather, take some time to understand which networks your customers (existing and potential) are using. Try not to spend significant time and effort into something with little or no return.

Once you identify a few key social networks, be aware of how customers interact with brands on those sites and tailor your message to be as engaging as possible. For example, if your brand has recipes for Halloween snacks and you’re promoting them on Pinterest, select the most visually appealing image that encourages followers to re-pin your recipe. On Facebook, your brand can offer a coupon code to buy the products that are used to make a particular recipe. Give careful consideration to the value your content offers, and how a social network can increase that value. 

Fresh content feeds the social machine, and social gives content more eyeballs and a longer shelf life. For more tips on how to create quality content that will fuel your social media strategy, download the free white paper.