Social media engagement can deliver impressive results – but it won’t unless your interactions are defined by a strategy and delivered at a set frequency, says RetailSystem’s Jesse Akre …
Have you ever been in a conversation where someone cuts you off? How about an actual in-person conversation (socially distanced, of course), and the person just stops mid-conversation to do something else? Ever been in a conversation where the other person never finishes a complete thought?
Welcome to ‘social engagement’ for most businesses.
Look at your social media channels. As you look at your posts (your attempts at engagement), is there any rhyme or reason, or strategy? Do you evoke a conversation, a form of engagement? Does it leave the reader anxious for what’s next (yep, engagement)? Does it deliver value through key actionable tips? Or does it just fall flat?
Here are a couple of quick tips to make sure you are on the Social Media 101 track to success …
Velocity
To have a constant velocity, an object must have a constant speed in a constant direction. Think about your social media content. Is it of a constant quality with purpose and direction? Constant, or ‘thematically’ related in nature?
If you spend a week on refinishing tables and then switch to planting a garden, that is fine if your theme is home improvement. You have a direction with purpose – betterment of the home and things within. But what if your followers are interested in woodworking?
Whatever your direction, make sure your content is on point (direction) and consistent in quality of workmanship, depth of thought, worthy takeaways, etc (speed).
Frequency
Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time. Think again of your social media efforts as a soundwave. Sound is a perfect repeating sequence. Social media, for the desired result, must be the same. Your readers need a regular and predictable frequency (as it relates to your social media postings).
How many social media sites do you visit (blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, any and all) that have a post and then nothing … and then a couple more, and then again nothing. Or the last post was 14 months ago. Will you ever go back? Is that engaging to the reader? Turn off the lights – why even bother?!
You must pick an acceptable and achievable frequency of social media activity – and stick to it! I reiterate, it is constant and consistent. Not a sprint then a rest (often seen with shiny-object initiatives and resolutions). Start small, and then improve – but again, consistency wins. Once a week, on a set day and set time.
Once you achieve that milestone for 90 days, then look to improve. Maybe keep the frequency, and add a second direction. Maybe your first topic is woodworking, and planting a garden fits as well. Now do a post on each once a week, set day, set time.
So, to reiterate: velocity – pick a relevant topic or theme and stick with it, delivering a rich (and targeted) reader experience, them, upon mastering that, pick a second and add to the depth; and frequency – pick a set delivery frequency, and hit it without exception (set day, set time, clap, clap, clap, clap, like a metronome).
Do this, and you are on your way to an engaging conversation.
But wait, there’s more – never, ever make “The Big Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale” part of you velocity and frequency!
Jesse Akre is the president of RetailSystem Global Brands. RetailSystem is a cloud-based retail management system (EPoS) designed specifically for furniture and mattress retailers.
