There is a new ‘friendly’ rival to Twitter.
Are you getting a return on your investment in social media?
How do you measure success?
What are the social media trends you need to know about?
And is it time to move away from Twitter?
There were just some of the topics we explored during our social media masterclass for members of The Media Team Academy.
Social media expert Jonathan Pollinger also gave tips and advice on making content that grabs attention and results in action. And highlighted tools that can improve your content and make life a bit easier.
Let’s recap what he covered.
What’s happening with the social media networks?
With furious speculation about the future of Twitter since Elon Musk took it over, it seems pertinent to start by looking at what is currently happening with the main networks.
Jonathan split this into three main areas – chaos, stagnation and growth.
And there are no prizes for guessing which category Twitter falls into currently.
“With Twitter, it is a confusing picture,” he said.
“We’ve got a scenario where someone is making decisions based on what users think, and then within 24 hours, they change their mind and withdraw certain features. A couple of days later, they bring that feature back again.
“There are also lots of unknowns around the content that might be allowed on Twitter - making advertisers and businesses nervous.”
So, is it time to walk away?
“My advice with Twitter is to maintain a light touch. I don’t think it is time to close your account just yet. But I would keep a close eye on what is happening and perhaps look at going elsewhere.
“Mastodon is mentioned as an alternative, but right now, for business, I think it is too early. And in terms of user base and reach they are minnows.
Stagnation
Stagnation may not sound a lot better than chaos. But at least it suggests more stability.
Jonathan said: “I think Snapchat and Pinterest will plod along at the same pace. Snapchat is really about messaging. And the best way to approach Pinterest is to see it as a search engine.
“You can post videos and photos there, and users can still find that content years down the line. So, it can be a low-effort/high-reward platform.”
What about Facebook?
“Because there has been a big investment in the Metaverse, which is yet to become a reality for most people, their efforts elsewhere have stagnated a little. And I can see that continuing through 2023.
“It is already noticeable Facebook is bringing out fewer key features or changes to the platforms.”
Growth
What channels are likely to grow?
“If there was to be growth in Meta, I see it being in Instagram.
“The principal growth will be in TikTok. But don’t overlook LinkedIn. It is sometimes regarded as a bit quiet and boring.
“But I think that is beginning to change. A colleague of mine coined the phrase the Facebookification of LinkedIn, and, if you are on there, you may have noticed content being more informal.
“That’s not to everyone’s tastes, but I don’t think it is a bad thing. And it is being integrated with Microsoft tools more.
“I think the fact it is the only platform that is 99 per cent devoted to business and professional life is a positive thing because you don’t have all the other content around personal life, family and friends – there is a clear focus.”
Trends
What are the main social media trends being seen now?
“Trends is always a fascinating area and there are some themes that are definitely popular right now,” Jonathan said.
“Visual content is extremely popular, and is the way to go. When I started social media training in 2009, it was pretty much text-only posts. “Since then, there has been a massive evolution, starting with images. And now we are in the era of TikTok and Reels on Facebook and Instagram with lots of short videos.”
Images
Those videos are vertical, meaning they are intended to be viewed in portrait mode with footage that is taller than it is wide – it fits the way we hold our smartphones.”
Does that also work for LinkedIn?
“If you look at the guides for LinkedIn, they tell you to do square or landscape video,” Jonathan said. “But you might want to try vertical video.
“There are two clear advantages to doing that. It will give people more opportunities to see your content as they are scrolling through their phones.
“And I have a sneaky feeling that the LinkedIn algorithm is prioritising vertical video.”
What about images?
“It is also great to add images to your content,” Jonathan said. “What I mean by that is text on top of a coloured background or scene. Canva is a great tool for doing this.
“In terms of photos, include people in them. Analysis shows photos with people perform well.
“So, instead of just taking a photo of your product, take one of someone using it.”
What about emojis? Should you use them?
“Some people baulk at using them,” he said. “But I think that even in the professional world, the boundaries have blurred, and things are a bit more casual and informal. And emojis are not just about fun and games – there are emojis for everything from food and drink to laptops and phones.
“So, I think they can enhance your message. And they are a good way of gaining attention. Putting a rocket or explosion emoji by your headline can draw readers in.”
Smartphones
Smartphones might not feel like a new trend. But they are becoming ever more important when it comes to social media.
Jonathan said: “We’ve all had smartphones for quite a while, but it is important to stress people are consuming their content on smartphones now.
“To make the most of that, you need to be concise – you don’t have any room for waffle.
“Things like Facebook and LinkedIn have a ‘see more’ link, which means you need to capture attention in those early moments.
“And, if you are asking someone to click, you don’t want to present them with a whole page of content to read. People won’t get to the end of those lengthy posts.
“If you do want to say a lot on LinkedIn, it has a long-form option called Articles that lets you write what is essentially a blog post.”
Some social media networks also have features only available on smartphone apps.
“It is worth exploring the apps,” Jonathan said.
“We are at a stage now where apps like LinkedIn have five or six features that are only available on smartphones.
“And Facebook or Meta now has a specific ads app. So, if you want to create adverts and keep track of them, the best way is through the app. It is much easier than desktop, and you can set up notifications for various things. “
Communities
The way people interact with social media is changing – niche content is on the rise.
“People want to focus their attention on what interests them,” Jonathan said.
“They don’t want a constant stream of irrelevant content.
“So, they are looking to seek out content using hashtags or by joining a group on Facebook or a community on Twitter.
“That has been a trend this year, and I think we will see more of that. There are rumours Instagram is going to create a communities feature.
“Elon Musk has spoken about wanting Twitter to be a town square. But I think he’s got that wrong.
“Rather than social media being about people shouting their views and opinions on anything and everything, I think it is going to be more focused than that. And we are already seeing evidence of that with communities.”
What will happen in 2023?
We all love to gaze into the future and predict what might happen.
Jonathan’s social media crystal ball predicts increasing popularity for LinkedIn.
“In 2023, I think we will see LinkedIn become more popular as people look for an alternative to Twitter,” he said,
“The future of Twitter is unclear. But even if it is still around, people will migrate to LinkedIn.”
What about TikTok – will it continue to take the social media world by storm? And if so, should your brand join it?
Jonathan said: “You might not think TikTok is your natural home. But there are lots of niches and communities. People are seeking out their own tribe.
“So, I wouldn’t rule it out – it doesn’t take long to see if anyone is posting relevant content. You might be shocked and find your competitors are already on there.
“People refer to TikTok as a social network. But it is more of an entertainment platform. Many people go on TikTok just to be entertained.
“And I think something else we will see is a growth in content that is there to entertain, and we might see this reflected on other platforms – except LinkedIn.”
As well as this growth of entertainment content, Jonathan also believes there will be increased use of social media messaging for customer services.
“All the systems have in-built messaging systems, and some are really strong,” he said.
“The LinkedIn messaging system is way better than email in some respects. You can see when someone is online; you can send them an audio message; you know when they have read your message.
“I think we will also see messaging used to reach potential customers and build relationships with stakeholders.
“If you look at WhatsApp, many organisations are using it to communicate with customers, stakeholders and partners and as an internal communication tool.”
Tips for creating engaging content
Now you know the current trends and predictions for the year ahead, what do you need to do to create engaging content?
The TRUTH test we stress during our social media training should be at the centre of your content. It means creating posts that are Topical, Relevant, Unusual, have an element of Trouble and contain Human interest.
To delve into that in more detail, Jonathan also offered tips for attracting people to your content, maintaining attention and encouraging them to take action.
Attraction
Put a headline on your post and put some emojis around it.
And include a video or image – remember that the movement of a video catches the eye and that a vertical image takes longer to scroll past.
Attention
Concise content is crucial.
Bullet points can help people easily understand it.
And add some intrigue.
“You can do this in the headline or the introduction,” Jonathan said. “A good way of doing it is by asking a question. People will start to think what the answer might be.”
Action
An emoji pointer can highlight what you want people to do.
There is also a link emoji you can use to draw attention to a link you want them to focus on.
The most prevalent call-to-action phrases are things like ‘learn more’, ‘book now’, ‘enter competition’.
But you can also experiment with longer-form calls to action.
Jonathan said: “Rather than just saying ‘visit our website’, give people a reason – ‘visit the website to read more information on the subject’. Explain why they should click on the link.
“Don’t be afraid to be a bit salesy, if appropriate.”
How do you measure and report success?
The world of social media metrics can feel a bit daunting. People can be reluctant to wade into it.
What should you measure? What does success look like?
“This is often considered a dry area of social media,” Jonathan said. “And sometimes it is thought to be complex and technical.
“But it doesn’t have to be.
“Fundamentally, it is about social media return on investment. And that comes down to a simple equation where you balance effort, resources, tools, ad spend and any other expenses that go into your social media content with what you are getting from it.
“Sometimes that can be hard to measure because it depends on your business objectives and concepts like ‘awareness’.
“But, ultimately, it’s about whether it is worth it.
“If you are looking at any of the measurement tools in the platforms, like Facebook Insights or Instagram Analytics, it is the content side of things that is important.
“There is a lot of stuff on there, and you might feel bamboozled by it. Focus on how your posts perform, what is doing well, and what isn’t.”
Business
You must tie your social media work to your business objectives.
“Ensure that every post has a purpose and isn’t just social media for the sake of it,” Jonathan said.
“It needs to be linked to your wider business strategy. And you can link in a social media strategy that links in with those business objectives.”
That could be sales, awareness, improved customer service, traffic to an eCommerce site, or selling more tickets for an event.
Engagement
Is there still a place for engagement metrics?
Jonathan said: “We go on about engagement all the time in social media. And it is the bedrock of everything.
“Without the engagement of posts, you don’t get awareness. And without awareness, you don’t get sales or donations.
“So, do look at the engagement metrics.”
Social media apps and tools
Looking for a little help with your social media content and managing your accounts?
There are many tools out there. And Jonathan recommends three you should use now to help you succeed.
Canva: “This is a brilliant image editor. It is an easier to use Photoshop. It is user-friendly and enables you to resize images, make them transparent and put text on them.
“It gives you a great starting point because it puts up the optimal for the platform you want to use. And it gives you templates you can use or partly use.
“You can pretty much do it all with the free version.”
Leetags: “This is a simple app that is good for hashtags.
“If you want to see the most popular hashtags on Instagram, this is the most efficient way.
“Once you’ve identified the relevant hashtags you can copy and paste them into your post.
“While it is an Instagram tool, you can use it on the other platforms.”
SocialPilot: “This is a social media dashboard, similar to Hootsuite.
“In terms of creating posts, it is quick and convenient and gives you the ability to see what they will look like on different platforms.
“It also keeps a record of all your past posts, which is brilliant if you have a lot of evergreen content you will recycle.
“And it has a repeat function if there is a message or event you want to get out regularly.
“There is also an approval function enabling managers to approve content.
“And it has a reporting function that is better than the social media network tools. With just a couple of clicks, you can create a nice PDF report full of pie charts, bar graphs and stats.”
Don’t forget, you can catch up with this masterclass, and all the previous ones, in the video library section of The Media Team Academy hub.
