Read this BEFORE you post!

It is very important to be clear on how you are using your media, what you expect from it and what you hope to achieve. Without intention, social media can easily miss the mark and be ignored, so take time to decide if you are trying to sell something, create brand awareness or simply connect with your customer base. Don’t forget that social media is not organic. Most social media platforms are tightly controlled businesses that only give you what you pay for. The cycle of visibility is short, and a post will see the light of day only briefly unless it is shared or promoted. If you make peace with this, you can use it in a way that best suits the endgame of your organisation.

Here are 5 simple tips for creating a social media post that gets views, and better yet, engagement.

1. Video is king. Video content is far more successful than static images. People stay longer, are more likely to share or save, and the algorithms of both Facebook and Instagram are more likely to promote your post if it is a Reel. Stitches with other videos and relatable face to face content give your readers a sense that there is a person behind the account, not merely an organisation who wants something from them.
2. Keep it compelling and concise. This is the time to be simple and clear. Very few people will read a caption that they have to expand. Keep it tight and lead them to your website with an easy click link if you want to share more than a sentence.
3. Offer your audience something. This is why they are on social media in the first place. It might just be entertainment, but it could also be some sort of value proposition: a discount code or giveaway, a useful article, some news, or a feel-good story. Whatever it is, let them feel like it made their day slightly better.
4. Engaging visuals. People like to see human faces, and scenarios are more attractive than a product on a shelf or a static image of a person at work, so capture your product or service in action. Remember that carousel posts do better than single images in terms of engagement so share a selection of images each time you post.
5.  Activate your audience. It isn’t a given that people will comment, share or even click “like”. You need to put in the work. Host polls, ask questions and reply to comments to create a sense of engaged conversation and “someone behind the account”. Share your audience’s ideas, photos and reviews. Make them feel as though they are a part of a family. It takes time to do this, and it is a continuing job.

 With those tips in mind, you are ready to press “share” on your next post!