Jill RichardsSocial: A Channel + A Resource
As you dutifully add handles and hashtags to videos and ebooks, you might feel as though your content is just fodder for the insatiable social beast. But, here are three great ways that social can give back, turbocharging your content marketing to boost performance and quality.
1) Extended Brand Reach
Efficient marketing requires you to go where your audience is so get outside your email list and your primary social channel. Seeing your brand and content on multiple social platforms broadens access and awareness for your current and potential audience. Optimizing your content for each channel (your Pinterest and LinkedIn approaches will be different) makes it easy for your content to be shared which further builds your audience and the connection with your brand.
2) Measure & Learn (Quickly & for Free!)
Every time you post a message in social, you are effectively testing the power of that messaging. You can use the extended reach of social to rapidly test the efficacy of any number of important variables such as the social platform’s effectiveness for your message, headlines (popular tweets can make great headlines!), content pieces, landing pages, engagement, and more. Baseline what works and then begin A/B testing images, calls to action, benefit statements, etc. You can even include social audience analysis as part of your segmentation and persona building. Just as with any other channel, you can logically structure and test with social.
3) Crowdsource Content & Ideas
Social channels are a great place to crowdsource topic ideas (a favorite hack). Ask followers to create content. Monitor which content is shared the most to give you ideas about which themes and formats resonate. Watch what influencers and competitors are sharing. Then hone your content development accordingly.
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