The dirty secret of social media is that it requires a lot of content to establish and sustain a brand’s presence. Content is the lifeblood of a brand’s online conversation. Whether its a video, photo gallery, Tweet, SlideShare deck or Facebook update, there’s a piece of content that’s initiating or sustaining a conversation between the brand and its consumers. Relevant, sharable content keeps the brand present in the consumer’s social stream and creates context and relevance for the relationship. Content is also used to normalize contentious conversations and direct it into areas important to the brand. When creating content – whether you’re using it to initiate a conversation, establish a community or launch a product – should do one or more of the following:
- Introduce – a theme or concept that others haven’t seen or heard before
- Inform – people about something new and exciting
- Inspire – others to think or act differently or to harness their creative passions
- Incite – action, emotion or some forward-looking experience
With the burden of content growing for brands as they look to manage and grow community, it’s worth developing a deliberate approach. Above all, content must be interesting enough to grab attention and compelling enough to share. If no one is interested in your conversation, they won’t waste time talking to you or sharing your message. Make relevant and compelling content often – your social media success depends on it.
Post-apocalyptic 