Social shares are the currency of viral marketing. They help spread the word about your brand and grow your reach beyond your organic or paid marketing. Social share also comes with the bonus of being content that has already been vetted by someone else. If a friend or follower on a social media channel shares something, the connection of trust or interest in what they have to say is already there, making it more likely that you’ll engage with content they’ve shared.
Social media content marketing is an important part of your marketing strategy. Certain types of content marketing – from infographics to photography to video to blogs – perform better on social media when compared to other platforms, such as email or search. Taking the time to understand what type of content marketing can get you the most engagement on social can help increase your reach dramatically.
The types of content marketing that gets you the most social shares
Are you using the right type of content marketing to drive engagement? Here are some types of content marketing to consider developing for social media.
1. Blog posts
If you want to position your brand as an expert or authority, you need to be writing, publishing, and sharing blog posts regularly. While blog posts are not always immediate shares from some people, when they are, it can be a huge impact on your brand. Customers who take the time to engage with your blog content are using your resources and getting more familiar with your brand as an option for their needs.
2. Infographics
Infographics help take important, useful information and condense it to an engaging visual. Infographics are incredibly useful in helping customers understand research facts, statistics, or the relationship between events. A well-designed infographic is not only useful for customers but engaging and readily shared for others to see.
3. Video
Most people would rather watch a video about how to put together a product than read an instruction guide. They would rather hear a person talk about their positive experience with a brand rather than read a list of testimonials. Video is a much more engaging form of content for most people and makes a lot of sense as a type of content marketing to be used in social media, particularly on highly visual platforms like Instagram, as well as Facebook and Twitter. Some brands have reported an increase in customer engagement by 137% after they’ve consumed video media, making it an extremely valuable content marketing method.
4. Interactive Content
Interactive content: People love content they can interact with – that’s why Buzzfeed quizzes continue to perform and are shared time and again. Calculators are another kind of interactive content that gives audiences a helpful resource that allows them to answer a question and take control of their search for information.
4. Evergreen content for timely distribution
One thing that shouldn’t be discounted from social is recycled content – that is content that’s been shared before but is still relevant. This can be any of the above categories, as well as be another type of content. Creating unique content for social is important, as social audiences expect something different than audiences receiving emails, for instance. But it’s also a good idea to regularly look at your content library and schedule pieces into your social media content rotation. This can be especially useful when you need to post content that relates to something significant happening culturally or in the news. You want to make sure the brand is seen as current and in the know.
Other things to consider when developing your content marketing plan for social content is your audience and your product. Some brands have offerings that work better for video, while others need to convince customers through heavily-researched whitepapers. The types of content marketing you need to share will depend on your target audience, market research, and the current goals of your business.
Investing in content marketing is a must for any smart business. Finding the best ways to engage on social media may take some trial and error but it will prove to be a useful way of connecting with more customers in a more meaningful way instead of just filling their feed with ads.
