As the digital world continues to expand, the number of social media platforms available to consumers continues to grow. With more channels to moderate and manage, posting the right content on the right platform is vital. Keeping brand identity consistent and reaching the right consumer at the right time is a challenge every company now faces. When posting, you should be sharing tailored content that follows your brand strategy and communicates the right message to the right audience. This is no walk in the park – that’s why we are here to help.

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Here is a quick and easy guide to tailoring content for each social media platform:

Facebook

To this day, Facebook still manages to have the widest audience and usage (though its dominance is being aggressively challenged). Facebook users engage with the platform for a number of reasons, from picture viewing to review reading, information collection to product selling and much more. Whatever they are doing, users are spending more time on Facebook than on other platforms, which means your Facebook page should be detailed, informative and consistently updated.

The content you post on Facebook should be easy to engage with. What does this mean? It means photos, videos and tailored content that users can interact with and drive engagement. Actions like sharing, commenting or tagging are very important for invoking higher engagement results. It also doesn’t need to be original material, sharing content that is relevant to your brand, even if it was created by someone else, is still a good way to generate audience interest.

Here are some great examples of companies using Facebook to its full potential.

Tip: When posting videos, be sure to embed the video directly into the post rather than just posting a link. People are more likely to view a video directly in their feed than they are to click a link. 

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Instagram

Everything on Instagram is visual. Whether its photos, videos, reels, or stories, strong imagery is the holy grail of Instagram success. Instagram is a fun, playful, and accessible place for brands to showcase company culture, go behind the scenes or even post about events or other company gatherings. 

Instagram stories are a great way to post in real time and connect with followers. People will be inclined to follow you on the platform if your content is regularly updated and offers an inspiring insight into your brand. But, don’t forget to keep the content on brand – this means keeping content grammatically correct, high-quality (nothing blurry or slow) and inoffensive.

However, it’s no secret that engagement for traditional posts has been steadily decreasing over the past few years. With the addition of reels (short-form videos), Instagram is pushing this new feature and has started to place less emphasis on traditional posts. If you have noticed a decline in engagement, it may be time to start incorporating reels into your strategy. 

It’s important to remember that the goal of Instagram is to inspire and take viewers on a journey. Content should tell a story and open a window into the business, which means you should keep content genuine and original (don’t reuse). For motivation, check here and here. The platform gives the audience a chance to connect with your brand, explore products or services and understand your appeal – use the opportunity to show them what you’ve got. 

Tip: Make sure you write a great bio along with engaging captions. A good image should have a caption that encourages viewers to either read more or engage with the post.

Twitter

Twitter is most commonly used for breaking news, quick updates and brand interactions. For businesses, Twitter is a vital link where users can engage with brand accounts and ask questions, make suggestions or reach out for support. 

This platform moves incredibly quickly so posting more frequently on this channel is acceptable, as long as your posts are valuable. Like Facebook, it is wise to share content from other sources that your audience will like. Still try to highlight your content the most, but keeping the ball rolling is important on Twitter. 

Twitter is a good place to be conversational without feeling too formal. It is a good place to share company news or updates, quotes, photos or videos and interact (thoughtfully) with other users. 

Tip: If brand appropriate, include a GIF here and there, it will add personality to your posts.

LinkedIn

Out of all the platforms we have discussed, LinkedIn is the most business-orientated. Any shared content on LinkedIn should be directly relevant to your business or industry. This can include videos, important information, blog posts or even visuals like infographics. Users will often come to your page to learn about the company, the employees, and explore job postings, so it’s important to keep the profile up-to-date, professional and relevant (almost like you would a resume). To increase engagement, share educational content, industry news, or demonstrate the problems your service or product can solve. 

Tip: When posting content make sure to write a captivating summary that people can look over first.

TikTok 

Still somewhat new to the social media game, TikTok has exploded in popularity worldwide and businesses are figuring out the best way to leverage the platform. In terms of content and structure, it most closely reflects Instagram in that it is visual, fun and playful. But, it can also be highly creative given that the majority of users show off talent or offer funny, insightful or inspiring creations. 

Tiktok is made up of short-form, high-energy videos. It requires a higher level of editing skill and time commitment, so if you choose to use the platform, it should be a dedicated effort as it is very competitive. For product companies, this is a great place to make useful demo videos like how-tos and tutorials, offer tips, or create funny clips that showcase life at your business. 

For companies just starting out, it’s best to research other pages and business like your own and get a feel for what they are posting. Like Instagram, anything posted should be high-quality, edited properly, and purposeful. Tiktoks should tell a short, concise story that quickly captures the audience’s attention. 

Here are 8 brands that have mastered TikTok marketing.

Tip: Plan a content calendar and always add relevant hashtags to your posts. 

Know your platform, know your audience

In the end, you can’t satisfy everyone but you can make sure that the content you post to each platform accurately reflects your brand voice and identity. When users interact with your content, they should notice the tone, writing and feel of the post as consistent with your overall brand. 

Finally, always be sure to ask yourself why you are posting something. Knowing the meaning and posting with purpose is the best way to avoid mistakes and offer something valuable to platform users, which is always the ultimate goal. 

Curious to learn more about social media and how to optimize your business’ channels for growth? Download our FREE ultimate guide to B2B social media.