{"id":58945,"date":"2024-08-29T07:44:31","date_gmt":"2024-08-29T14:44:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.creativecircle.com\/?p=58945"},"modified":"2024-08-29T07:44:31","modified_gmt":"2024-08-29T14:44:31","slug":"social-media-magic-5-quick-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.creativecircle.com\/blog\/social-media-magic-5-quick-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Media Magic: 5 Quick Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Running a business\u2019 social media account is easy, right? Take some pictures, reshare relatable memes, post links to your products \u2014 simple!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not quite.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m a freelance content creator for Creative Circle; I write blogs, manage our candidate newsletter, and own our <\/span>Instagram<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>LinkedIn<\/span><\/a> accounts. To me, creating content is equal parts exciting and complicated, especially when it comes to social media. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I get to share job search advice and tips, feature interviews with <\/span>experts in the marketing and creative space<\/span><\/a>, highlight exciting new <\/span>job openings<\/span><\/a>, spotlight our talented candidates, and I even get to sprinkle in the occasional Taylor Swift meme. It\u2019s exciting and rewarding \u2014 especially when someone finds my content useful.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But sometimes my content doesn\u2019t reach the audience I want to. That\u2019s the complicated part. Maybe I jumped on a trend too late, or posted at the wrong time, or didn\u2019t align my post caption strategically enough with the latest hashtags and keywords.\u00a0 And when a post receives little engagement, that can be deflating.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Social media content creation and management requires careful planning, strategic execution, and skill. Don\u2019t just take it from me; take it from the 800+ voters and dozens of comments from social media creators <\/span>on my recent LinkedIn Poll<\/span><\/a>. As Kiara F. says, managing socials is like <\/span>\u201cplaying chess, but with memes and hashtags.\u201d<\/span><\/a> \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re like me, you\u2019re constantly looking for ways to level-up your social media chess game \u2014 to get new followers, to increase engagement, to deliver the content your audience truly cares about. And you know what my favorite source of inspiration is? Other creators. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve partnered with two Creative Circle freelancers to compile a list of five tips to produce quality, engaging social media content.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jordin Smith<\/span><\/a> has four years of experience managing and creating social media content. She finds it thrilling to curate content that excites her audience and piques their curiosity. She\u2019s currently working with clients in the fashion and beauty space. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian Benton<\/span><\/a> has five years of experience as a social media art director. He enjoys how the spontaneity and limitations of tight deadlines and less-than-desirable shooting locations push him to think creatively. His clients are in the technology, entertainment, and ecommerce space. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are 5 tips to consider:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t constantly scramble to hop on the latest audio trend. It might not be as impactful as you think.\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Trending audio has taken social media by storm. It\u2019s fun, catchy, and very in-the-moment, but it truthfully <\/span>only impacts engagement for a small percent of the population<\/span><\/a>. It has its time and place, but it doesn\u2019t well-suit the content you want to remain evergreen.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes content production timelines can run longer than expected, and the trendy music can really date that edit,\u201d says Brian. \u201cYou don\u2019t want your video to feel outdated when someone comes across it on their TikTok Discover or Instagram Explore page for the first time.\u201d \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Listen. Listen. Listen.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Yes, we do get paid to scroll. And for good reason. Scrolling, listening, and exploring is where ideas are born as you identify emerging trends, understand your audience\u2019s behavior and preferences, monitor your competitors\u2019 activity, and more. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jordin says, \u201cListening is my number one tip. I scroll social media searching for anything that excites me. I listen to what people are saying, what they\u2019re listening to, and what they want more of.\u201d She suggests listening to what your audience sounds like and tailoring your content to that.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian warns creators about replicating what their competitors are doing. \u201cConsider finding inspiration one or two degrees away from your direct competitors. For example, if you are creating content for a high-end pet brand, see what high-end fashion is doing.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Since scrolling for research can quickly turn to \u201c<\/span>doom scrolling<\/span><\/a>\u201d, consider setting a timer for 30\u201340 minutes each day and limit yourself to that time. As you scroll, save the content that inspires you or note it down somewhere. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stand out with a strong brand voice.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In a crowded market, your unique voice can set you apart from your competitors. What personality traits do you want your brand to embody? Is it friendly, authoritative, humorous, or professional? You can shift your voice slightly from channel to channel, too. Remember \u2014 your voice doesn\u2019t just shine through in your content and post captions, but also in the way you <\/span>engage with your followers in the comments.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jordin says \u201cThe demographics from platform to platform are different, so I tweak my voice accordingly. LinkedIn gets the professional voice, TikTok gets the younger, cooler voice, while Instagram gets the voice of the big sister.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian suggests some ways to get creative with your tone. \u201cTo stand out, try giving a more casual piece of content a professional feel or vice versa. Consider shooting something that is funnier or more trend-driven with great lighting and a high-end camera. Or use viral TikTok style editing for a more serious piece of content. This can help keep personality in posts while remaining on brand,\u201d Brian says. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Have fun.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Splashing some fun into your content can help humanize your brand and make your page a place where your followers want to hang out. Try being real about your industry and adding tasteful humor; for example, <\/span>leaning into jokes about the future of AI<\/span><\/a>, or the<\/span> frustrations graphic designers can experience<\/span><\/a> working with clients.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

LinkedIn polls usually reach <\/span>3\u20135x more people than posts without a poll<\/span><\/a>! Try asking your audience a lighthearted question or get their opinion on a topic that means something to your brand. Drop an open-ended question in the post body and encourage your followers to engage. This can be a fun way to create conversation with your audience in a more personal way. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Post when your followers are online.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This is unique to each business and channel \u2014 check your channel insights to know when the majority of your followers are online. Identify peak times of engagement and post then. Experiment with posting at different times and days of the week, then track the performance of those posts.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At Creative Circle, our followers (mostly jobseekers) spend some time online in the evenings, so we\u2019ve tested posting during those hours and have seen some success. When in doubt, you can always fall back on <\/span>these broad guidelines<\/span><\/a> as a starting point, to give your content the best possible chance of success.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re craving more tips, consider following these three accounts on Instagram. They\u2019re constantly serving digital content tips to my feed:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n