Let’s be real – most people log onto their social media sites to play. Take a look at your own network and see what they enjoy…funny pictures, cool images, quotes, sports stats, recipes, shopping, kid stuff. Most of the time it’s a completely social atmosphere…hence the term “social” media. So as a business, how do you jump into the conversation without turning people off? You give them what they want.

Chances are your post about your business is not going to go viral. However, a funny cartoon or saying that relates to your business very easily could.  It’s what I call “putting the ‘social’ in social media”. Here are five steps to put the “social” in YOUR “social media”.

1. Target Audience – always, always, always start any content piece with your target audience in mind. Who are they? How do they spend their time? What do they want? You can research this quite easily by looking at the news feed of your current audience or one of your competitors.
2. Brainstorm Ideas – create a list of topics that you think would appeal to your target audience. Things such as humor, trivia, sports facts, recipes, art, quotes, etc.
3. Create a plan – Plan out your content schedule and make it easy on yourself by having regular features. For example, maybe you want to have “success quote Monday” or “Friday Funny” or “Recipe Wednesday”. Create something that is easy for you to follow and execute.
4. Add images – whenever possible, add images to your posts. 85% of people describe themselves as “visual” learners so images are always a good idea.  You can borrow images from others (always cite the source for credit!), buy stock images or make them yourself.
5. Monitor – Watch your analytics to see which posts create the most buzz. This is immediate feedback to tell you how your campaign is going. You can use the information to tweak your strategy and get more engagement.

Putting the “social” in your social media strategy is a key aspect of growing your audience, creating “likeability” and growing your business!