Two ways to get attention
I saw this on Facebook on December 24th:
Although this is just a friend having a little fun, brands and companies do this very thing everyday.
Here’s how it works: there’s usually a way to force your message in front of people. Find it and abuse it.
This technique takes many forms. Keyword stuffing. Spamdexing. Those little annoying bots that spam you on Twitter with bad links.
There are (at least) two problems with this approach to social media:
1. The system changes often and is regularly updated to block these techniques.
3. Your results/interactions will ultimately be hollow. Repeat: shallow.
Of course, there is an alternative. Focus on helping your audience. Tell stories that matter. Use your energy and time getting better at writing. Share content that people actually care about.
You can take people’s attention or you can earn it.
Maybe the biggest reason to choose the second technique: do you know one person who is proud using the first?
10 Questions to Ask Before Posting
As a social media manager, here are 10 questions I try to ask myself before posting content:
1. Am I posting this out of an obligation to produce content?
2. Will what I’m writing/posting make others care more about this brand/organization (thanks to Jay for this one)?
3. Why would someone share this with their friends?
4. Does this stay true to what our brand represents?
4b. (or) Does this help people understand who we are better?
5. Has the Curse of Knowledge interfered with the writing?
6. Is there another way to phrase this that would make it even more engaging?
7. How can I make this shorter?
8. Is the idea being presented simple enough to read once and understand?
9. Would I myself enjoy interacting, liking, or sharing this with others?
10. How is this about the fans/customers/supporters?
