What should I be posting on all my social media platforms? I am running out of ideas!

A vague question indeed, but one I receive on a weekly basis in the social media world. It actually reminds me of a picture posted on Facebook some time ago: 

The picture is pretty brilliant actually.  In essence, the answer to the above question depends on the platform in which you are posting.  Okay.  I've clouded the issue but I'll stay within the integrity of the question and share a few ideas that can be applied to ANY platform.  These ideas have to do with YOU, Your BRAND and how to CONNECT with your audience.  

The goal is to educate, engage and have your audience identify with you and what you or your company can do for them.

First Things First: Understand and Master the 80/20 Rule:                            Which states- your posts should be 80% educational with tips, helpful insights, personality and entertainment and 20% with a direct sales message.  NOT the other way around.  Yes, I know we all care about ROI- but shoving a sales message down people's throats 24/7 will be the quickest way of being "UN-LIKED." On LinkedIn, sending a pitchy- spammy message in one's INBOX is also a great way to get people to DISCONNECT with you.  Be genuine.  If you are genuinely selling all the time, people will avoid you.

Here are a few ideas to help you with WHAT to post so your ideas and information shared isn't boring or one-sided:

• Thank You Posts:  Just as it sounds.  This is not "thank you for buying our product SKU #12999435" but instead, pictures of patrons, or even a big thank you to your viewing audience for supporting an effort, your business, a milestone in business for a # of years.  Get permission to take people's pictures, tag them in the photo with their permission and tell people how much they mean to you and your business.  Genuinely thank people for their support. POST ON: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn
• Tell Me What You Think: Want engagement?  No soap-box antics.  Give them a picture in which to comment, an idea you have that you want feedback (be prepared to get honesty or don't ask). POST ON: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn.
• Position Your Brand: Yes, this is one of the 20% posts of the 80/20 rule above.  So make it count.  For instance- if you own a retail store that sells clothing, how about staging a "catalog scene" in which everyone is wearing items in which you sell.  Yep, just like a magazine.  Get a professional photographer involved for the shoot...I know a few of them so just ask. POST ON: Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Also- promote the hell out of this on Facebook with a paid for post.
• Get Your Butt In Here: Also part of the 20% of your sales posts so make it count.  Unlike the example above, this is a call-to-action post.  Offer a time limited sale- or a special at a certain time or a certain day of the week when you are slow and wish more traffic.  Offer a link online to an immediate sale. Use canva.com to make a great flyer or message. Promo codes work well too and this way you can loosely track where the purchase came from. POST ON: Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter
• Make You Laugh: Nothing connects better than humor with your audience...most audiences. You really need to know your audience for this one.  Are they a little twisted? Serious? Do they live in an area in which religion is important and could easily offend?  You can post a humorous picture in the 7:00am hour and see how it connects and post a totally different type of post in the 1:00pm hour and see how they compare.  Remember: not only do you need to understand your audience's tolerance for humor, you want to strive to understand what time of the day they are open to it.  The ultimate time for posts for Top Dog is at 7:00 am and 1:00 pm which is the perfect time people check social media before heading into work. Where do you find funny posts to use?  Obviously you can use Google Images but consider going to Facebook or Twitter and complete a search using #funny or #fridayfunny to start.
• Touched My Heart: Do you have a great story to share?  Did you make an impact in a customer's life?  Did you see something a business in the community did that speaks to you and your audience?  SHARE it and always write a message stating "why" you are sharing the post. Huffington Post has incredible stories on a national and international level and in a wide variety of subject matters: www.huffingtonpost.com
• Quote of the Day: There are so many quote services available to you that can auto-post each day if you wish.  I personally like cruisingwww.brainyquote.com and picking out a few quotes and sharing.

The morale of the story is: get to know your audience and talk to them.  Show them you care about their business and the community around you.  Connect and you will be better connected and appreciated. 

Making social media more "social" is the goal of Top Dog Performance.  Call us and let's talk about your marketing needs | 954.328.4927