The Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media (2023 Edition)
Social media platforms have evolved to more than just posting your daily updates. Instagram, Facebook, and even TikTok now provide a multitude of resources. Businesses and individuals have taken to social media to sell, grow, and build their brand. While it is seen as a required part of marketing strategies, social media is still a “social” platform that demands more than just sales, promotions, and discounts. It needs the human behind it too! How do you do it all? Let’s look at some of the top Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media for 2023 to help you create better habits and drive the results you need!
1. DO be engaging
Social media is ultimately a community. Your page should be a space for followers to show up to be seen and heard. It’s up to you to create that space! And while that sounds like a big undertaking, continually engaging with your audience is one of the best ways to help you shape what that community looks like. Here are a few things to keep in mind to help you engage:
- Do respond to followers – Yes, it can be time consuming but so worth it. Engaging and commenting with follows opens them up more to the conversation. It helps form that bond and trust. Plus, it provides you data and valuable information to what followers are paying attention to or how they are responding to your content. Take note! They are taking time to share with you, so even the smallest emoji reaction or a “thank you” will create a sense of acknowledgement and feeling of being seen.
- Make lasting relationships – Treat your followers as if they are your long lost (or near and dear) friends! They follow you for a reason and would not be there if they did not connect or relate to your content. You can talk to followers in your brand voice all while making them feel warm, welcome, and exclusive to you and your page. Share related brands with your audience and collaborate with others to create a wider circle. Bonus tip: connect followers together or brand to followers, and vice versa to cultivate relationships; this will help you and your business in return as well. We’re all here to cheer each other on!
- Listening – When you share content that has purpose, people will respond! Take comments, direct messages, and feedback from your followers seriously. Do they want to see more of one thing from you? Did they love a specific post more than others? Do more of that! When you listen and show up in return, your followers will take notice and feel heard, which means they’re likely to stick around longer.
2. DON’T ignore trends
Don’t knock it unless you’ve tried it! Sometimes sticking to the trends is a smart move for you and your business. We suggest creating a solid foundation for your marketing strategy and setting up your social media content calendar in advance. Then, leave a bit of flexibility and openness for when those trending moments come through! Doing a trendy video or even meme-related post can give a big boost to all the work you are already doing. Not every trend is a one-size-fits all type of situation. Do your research, be timely, and most importantly, have fun with them!
3. DO add video content
All hail video content! Short-form video continues to be the dominator of content and in high demand. According to a recent study by Animoto, 58% of people say they have become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in Instagram Stories. And 90% indicated they enjoy watching video content from brands online (Lemonlight). Video provides participation between creators, businesses, and viewers and can share news or get points across quickly.
- Use User Generated Content (UGC) – if you have UGC, use it! UGC simply social proof that others are using your brand. It is one of the best ways to get people talking about your brand and expanding awareness. Of course, get the user’s permission to post and tag appropriately.
- Repurpose content – do you have listicles, quick tips, or downloadables? Create explainer video’s that dive into more context. If you have profiled team members in the past, introduce the team in a fun video at the office or by compiling a montage of self-recorded videos from home.
That’s not to say static images are unimportant in your social media planning. Creating high-quality and valuable content in balance with images and videos is a solid system.
4. DON’T avoid analytics
The analytics tab on social platforms is there to help you. Whether you are just getting started on social media or are a seasoned pro, analyzing and understanding your performance and metrics is a step you don’t want to miss. Collecting data from each platform will provide insight to the types of posts your followers want, and shift to content you might need to create. It can also help you understand your demographic and where to put your focus. It’s a valuable tool that will help steer the ship. Doing a deep dive into your analytics on a monthly basis at the least, will give you knowledge on next steps and help you create action-driven, valuable content that followers will devour.
It’s inevitable that the do’s and don’ts of social media will evolve each year. Try something new in 2023! Your social media pages won’t see any change unless you make a change. Doing or ‘don’t-ing’ on social media will only help you learn more about what your audience is looking for. Remember, following the ones that work for you will help your platforms stay on track, your audience growing, and your brand buzzing. Let us know what you’ve been doing and what you are excited to try! If you need support, we can help you build a marketing strategy that works!
