3 Simple Social Media Content Catagories

A blank piece of paper was friendlier. The blinking cursor on a big computer screen is a bit more critical. So, give yourself a break. Writing a blog, Facebook posting, MySpace and Twitter can be a full time job. And most of us give it 5 minutes. Try a new trick and organize your thinking.

Social Media requires diverse messaging. Diverse to keep different audiences engaged. And diverse in delivery to different social media sites.

Break your social media writing tasks down in to 3 simple thoughts – Head, Heart and Wallet.

Head

This is the clinical, factual, rational content that you post. Examples include tips, facts, statistics, and science. This is also any information that is educational or provided by an expert in your area. Think graphs, statistics, analogies and facts. Link to current studies. Post YouTube educational clips. Provide factual information from your vendors.

This is your opportunity to teach your audience about your expertise and views on your industry. Set yourself apart as the expert in your field.

Example from Dr. Jim Urban’s Natural Healing Tools Blog

Dr. Charles H. Mayo, M.D., founder of the Mayo Clinic: “We are all afraid of germs because we are all ignorant of them. Germs are outside. What we should be afraid of is lowered resistance which comes from within. The folly of our topsy-turvy notion leads to much preventable confusion and despair. Instead of developing a proper respect for our own extraordinary powers, conferred upon us by Mother Nature, we endow germs with unnatural powers which they should not possess.”

Heart

Information that is fun, trendy, predictions or other non fiction supposition. The Heart also includes customer testimonials about how wonderful you are. And any good deeds you have performed. Take a moment to pat yourself on the back when you’ve donated time, money or services back to the community.

Every company has good things to say. Post information about the employee of the month. Pictures of awards. A new employee feature. Humanize your brand.

Content suggestion includes informal polls and surveys.

Example from Scooter’s Coffeehouse Blog

Did you know January is National Tea Month and Scooter’s Coffeehouse carries a variety of loose leaf teas?  We carry blacks, greens, and a variety of herbals. Stop in and try some, or get some to take home.Celebrate by trying our popular London Fog Latte, a mix of  earl grey tea, half & half and vanilla.

What’s your favorite Scooter’s tea?

Wallet

Yes, coupons and other offers go here. But this is also anything that are value adding information about your product and service. If your product can save money or time, that message belongs here.

Take this opportunity to value add your product. If you have your features and benefits listed in a brochure, take one at a time and expand on why/how this saves your customers’ resources.

Example from Garbo’s Facebook

Garbo’s, Oak View Mall Get double punches today on your retail value card PLUS today only receive a FREE travel size Aquage item of your choice with any retail purchase if you mention you are a fan on Facebook at the time of checkout.

Point is – people buy for different reasons at different times. People want to be educated on their purchases, feel smart about what they spent and they just don’t want to be sold.

Problem is – most of us write the same types of information that we find interesting. We don’t look back over our own shoulder to vary our content. To answer all the questions as we would if we were talking face to face and getting that nonverbal feedback.

Solution is – keep score. Or have a coworker keep a tally of the types of content posted on your social media. Keep it simple. This is not a “contest” or a criticism but a way to keep you honest in your thinking. Vary your content to set yourself apart as the expert and answer as many questions along the way as you can.

Vary your posts, types of content and sources of information. If you keep excited and engage, so will your audience.

Comments