Are You Leveraging The “Super Six” Tools to Create Engaging Social Media Posts?

Are you getting frustrated with your organization’s social media efforts? ….  Perhaps you’re just not getting the followers or engagement you expected ?
 
Try these super six tips:
 
1.  First of all, insert questions and quizzes where you can.  There is definitely something intriguing about taking a quiz or voicing an opinion. Make it short and to the point. Incorporating an instant feedback mechanism for the participants will also engage readers.  
 
​A great way to generate questions is to take a few minutes and think about:

• What comments or feedback have customers have mentioned recently
• Customer perceptions you are curious about
• What customers may value most
• Big news items related to your business
• Or something that’s just amusing related to the services or products you offer

 
 Examples:

• "Do you have any problems scheduling appointments?”  and follow up with something like: “Which would make it more convenient for you to visit us?

                A)  Expanding our hours to late once or twice a week
                B)  Remaining open between noon and one
                C)  Offering hours on the weekends
 

• “What would you most likely use a personal drone for?”                

                A)  Spying on your neighbor
                B)  Chasing squirrels out of your yard
                C)  Checking out the drive thru line at your favorite fast food joint
               D)  Monitoring your son / daughter when they are sitting outside on the drive after a date


2. Post FAQs, facts and educational tips.  Leverage any frequently asked questions, tips or facts about your products or services by sharing them in short, ‘snackable’ posts.
To make this easier, keep a running list of facts or questions as they come up so you can reference them easily.  Educational tips are engaging to current and potential customers and can show your expertise or concern for the customer. Offer informational insights specific to your industry, business products or services with links to more detailed information.
 
Examples:

• Educational Tip - “This new toothbrush will help your kids brush the right way from the start.”           Check out our weekly newsletter for more tips on getting your kids to brush. (You can link this to your newsletter sign up)
• Health Fact –  In hot hot weather, your body needs more water.  Be sure to drink plenty of water during the day, especially if you are outdoors.

 
3.  Just like in the theaters, people enjoy behind the scenes glimpses, vignettes and outtakes. 
​It feels like your getting a sneak peak at privileged information while also learning a little about how things are done.  This is a great opportunity to use live video  -- add a little humor and you can’t miss!
 
Example:
Do you have a big event coming up? Either trade show, company picnic or public service project - share behind the scenes pictures / videos that tell the story about your preparations while creating interest in the event.  (Remember to link to the event landing page, hashtag and/or website description for more information.)

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4. Quotes, GIFs and Memes can be fun and are likely to be shared over and over. GIFs are bits of visual content that can add humor or help convey thoughts and feelings. (I couldn't resist this one with both puppies and babies!)

If you're technically oriented, you can make your own GIF, but you can also find ones you can download on the web.  This HubSpot blog has a great list of sites where you can find GIFs to use.  
Memes are a virally-transmitted cultural symbol or social idea. The majority of modern memes are captioned photos that are intended to be funny. The world of memes (which rhymes with 'teams') is noteworthy for two reasons: it is a worldwide social phenomenon, and memes behave like an infectious cold virus, traveling from person to person quickly through social media.  Often, they are parodies of popular sayings or ads. If you want to create one yourself, start with a photo and use the Google+ image edit feature or a photo-editing app like Canva. 

​Since memes can be copied and shared without their original content, you can get additional visibility by including your website in one of the lower corners.

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5. Fan or Customer shout-outs and recognition!  Recognize and reward loyal customers and fans who are active on your social media pages. Brief shout-outs of thanks, appreciation or recognition every now and then can increase customer and fan involvement - it shows your appreciation.  
Use this technique with care -- if you are not sure if your customer would like to be identified, ask first.  

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Examples:

• Thanks to Tim for posting pics from his cookout this weekend where he had us cater our specialty bar-be-que!
• Special Thanks to Reta and Bob – our new customers that we worked with on their home painting project!
•  Special Thanks to Georgette for her referrals – stop by and get your thank-you gift, Georgette!!

 
 
6. Host or share a holiday!  Are there holidays that relate to your business? Search holiday listings (example – www. holidayinsights.com) and then figure out a creative angle to tie it in to your business.  Create your own custom holiday twelve month listing and then include it on your content calendar to share with your community.  
 
Examples:
           It's National Classic Rock Week!  What are you doing to celebrate? Have a beer with us!
           March is National Crafts month - check out this bluebird house you can make in two hours.
           How sweet it is -- June is National Candy month, stop in for a treat.
           Other months of note: November is National Novel Writing and Aviation History month.
 
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For the best results, start by defining your marketing objectives before developing your social media content strategy.  Outline the social media channels and general topics which best fit your target market -- then build your content plan.  Doing this up-front work will help you efficiently push out your messaging in a timely, consistent and effective manner. 
 
Leverage the “Super Six” and have fun with it!  If you enjoy developing your messaging then there is a better chance at catching your customers, potential customers, and fans interest to build an engaged community!!
 
For help with social media strategy, please contact us. 

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