Posting content is a vital part of doing business in a social media world. Even if you have the best business ever, people aren’t going to be buying what you’re selling if they don’t know you exist. So show them who and what and where you are. Post content they can relate to, that they feel passionate about, or that forces them to think about things in a different way. But there’s more to the issue than just that. You also have to decide when to post that content, how often it should be posted, and how much you should say. Not sure how to do that? Here’s what to consider.
Always Have Something to Say to Your Readers
Your readers need you to tell them something. Posting random thoughts sometimes can work for certain types of businesses, but you want to make sure you’re staying professional and giving your readers something they value. If you post more often than you really “should” it will be less of a problem if it’s valuable information. Conversely, if you don’t post as much as your competitors it might not hurt you as much if you’re providing a lot of value when you do post something. There are always options to consider if you’re a little bit unorthodox, and sometimes that can be a good thing.
Different Platforms Mean Different Posting Schedules
The posting schedules for the content you’re creating are going to vary depending on the platform you’re putting the content on. In short, you want to post to Twitter more often than you post to Facebook. You don’t want to get too many Instagram photos in a row, or add to your Pinterest boards all day. By doing too much in the content arena, you overload the people who follow you until they feel like they’re being spammed. Take a careful look at how often you’re posting, and adjust accordingly so you’re following common and accepted practices.
Here’s another thing to consider when planning a posting schedule: when your customers are most likely to be online. If you’re posting everything at 8am but your customers are late risers, you aren’t getting the interaction you want with your content. Make sure you know your target market and customer base, and then post when those people will be online. They’ll see your posts more often, and that will mean more interaction and the potential for more sales.
There Can Always Be Exceptions to the Posting Rules
Not every site is in agreement about how much you should be sharing, and not every study falls in line with commonly accepted norms. Because of that, you have to be bold enough to find your own way through the content posting jungle. Just be mindful of what’s “normal,” and how far away from that you might be. Make adjustments as necessary, especially if you see that you’re losing followers. There are exceptions to every rule, and that’s true of posting to social media, blogs, and websites just like anything else.
There are exceptions to every rule, and that’s true of posting to social media, blogs, and websites just like anything else. Tweet This!
Be Clearly Aware of What – and How Much – You Share
What you’re sharing and how much both matter. You shouldn’t overshare, or people will stop following you. But they want to know what’s happening, and that means you have to share parts of your personal or professional life with them. Then they feel like a part of things, and they develop some loyalty to your business or brand. That little bit of bond they might form with you or your company can be very important, and can lead to more sales and a higher level of customer satisfaction. Don’t worry if you’re not perfect on your content posting schedule. Customers don’t expect perfection. They just expect you to care. Show them that you do, and you’ll have a much better chance of keeping them around for the long haul.
Michelle B writes web content, articles, blog posts, product descriptions, and more, and has created thousands of pieces of content for companies all over the world. She holds an associate’s degree in business management and a bachelor’s degree in legal administration.
