6 easy steps to creating social media content

Social media plays a key role in growing awareness of your organization, improving engagement with your supporters and building relationships.

Having a plan in place will certainly make your efforts more efficient and effective.

Be strategic about your social media, otherwise, you may find yourself spending time and resources on managing it but not knowing if it’s actually working.

Start thinking of the type of content that could resonate with your supporters and get started with your social media.

6 steps to creating social media content:

1. Focus on your content:

Analyse what you have posted in the past 3 to 6 months. Decide which content was the most successful and then explore what you can create next. If it worked before do not change what you are doing. Never be afraid to test new ideas. Try using short videos.

Pick the right channel:

Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn and so much more. But you cannot be everywhere so you have to decide where you will get the best response.

• FACEBOOK is a great choice for visual content. Images and videos bring more engagement. Another hot avenue is Facebook Live. Keeping you closer to your supporters, boosting engagement while keeping them up-to-date with news and/or events.  Media focused on engagement.
• TWITTER gets high engagement due to images or video. Connect relevant and appropriate GIFs to your tweets as a quick and easy way to interact with your supporters. Real-time interaction. Post as many tweets as you want, daily, provided they add value. Aim for 2-4 tweets a day. The more creative you are the better. Schedule even more. Concentrate on those tweets replying to people or having conversations.
• LINKEDIN is a great platform for sharing links to news stories, training, conferences or events and professional updates. This is a great platform to build your professional network and to keep up to date with peers and colleagues. Post important announcements, relevant news, tips or campaigns that are relevant to that audience. Try for 1-3 posts per week.
• INSTAGRAM is all about great images and videos that tell a story – a platform requiring high quality, creative images or video. If you have access to great images or great ideas for video. Aim for 1-2 weekly posts.

2. Get inspired by new ideas

Inspiration is great, especially before planning your content. Test new ideas. Take a look at other social profiles from organisations, outside influence and brands, beyond the normal sector.

Think about the campaigns and/or events you have planned to run.

Design new content ideas. Create content themes for when you’re not running a campaign.

Listen to what your supporters are talking about – join in the conversation. Inspiration is everywhere!

3. Put the plan in place

Start the conversation about what you’re doing. Use visuals or video to advertise the event.

Organize your campaign’s content early – it will give you flexibility as your campaign approaches.

Keep your social media profiles active, even when you’re not running a campaign. .

Content you can create in real time

Schedule your content, allowing you time to engage with your supporters in real-time – enabling you to produce content, in real time, connecting with trending topics that are relevant to your cause.

The more organised you are through the planning stage, the higher the chances of launching a successful campaign and reaching your goals.

4. Add the content to your calendar

Build a bank of content then schedule it, because it’s all a part of the social content plan. Plan the next day, week, or month. Get into the habit of doing this so that your social feeds are never empty.

Be proactive, but also reactive

Scheduling can get you organised with your social strategy, but you need to be flexible, ready when  an opportunity presents itself.

5. Analyze results

Now that your new social media plan is in place, regularly review the performance of your content. Your metrics will uncover your most successful posts and your best performing platforms; keeping in mind traffic and engagement, then keep on creating the kind of content that people want to see.

6. Measure the best performing:

• channels
• posts
• content

Set SMART goals that will define your objectives and how you’ll achieve them.

Measure the number of clicks to that page and which channel drove the most traffic.

Grow your followers by posting engaging content, regularly, on social media and by following relevant accounts so that they may follow you back.

The most common metrics rely on:

• Awareness: reaches, impressions, clicks
• Growth of social accounts: followers
• Engagement: likes, comments, shares, reactions
• Event objectives: increase your social media traffic