I have a social media pet peeve!  I don’t like it when businesses cruise around the Internet and find other people’s things to post…simply re-tweeting or reposting another person’s article or image.   To me it is lazy and it is NOT a social media strategy.  Besides, if you’re trying to become known as a thought leader in your industry, you must create content, which represents that expertise.  I’m not saying that you can’t share tidbits that you find or read.  In fact, you should share these with your audience.  But if you truly want to be known for your expertise, then you need to create content that showcases that expertise.

How do you know what killer content is?  Here are three questions to ask yourself:

What problem does my business address? 

By knowing exactly what your business does for your customers, you have a head start at creating content!  Create a list of tips and tricks that help to solve the problem.  You can use the list to craft social media content that showcases your knowledge.

What does my target audience need to know?

Perhaps you have learned about a new policy or law.  Perhaps there are new products in your portfolio.  Perhaps there is news about your industry.  Don’t just share the link to the news, create your own interpretation and share THAT.  You can even break it down into the main points and share it over the course of a week.

What else can I share with my target audience to make them better?

Most of your customers have peripheral interests that relate to your business in some fashion.  Think about your ideal client and their demographic.  By knowing them and their interests, you can provide information that appeals to them.  For example, if you are a restaurant, you could share information about your community or nutrition or local events.  If you’re a chiropractor, you could share health, nutrition and lifestyle tips.  Or books you’ve read that your patients might like.  Get creative but be sure to focus on your ideal client’s demographic.

Make your social media content stand out and represent you as a thought leader.  You will be amazed at the way your customers interact with you and watch your social media followers (and your business!) grow!