Have you ever looked at Facebook and wondered why so many people resonate with one post versus another? Why you aren't getting more traffic on Twitter? It may seem to you that one social media post is just like another, but the reality is good posts have that extra “special ingredient” yours may be lacking.

Although there are many books, websites, and blog postings on what a good post entails (and I have read many of them), Guy Kawasaki has come up with some good points that highlight how most posts can be improved. As a Social Media Strategist, I have plucked out some of his ideas, as well as, a few of my own.

Essential Element #1: Curate Good Stuff. 

Think of yourself as a librarian who has access to thousands of books and every day you have the opportunity to choose one of those books and say it is a “staff pick”. Do you think that carries more weight with library patrons, especially if it is right near the front door? You betcha! Same holds true with good content. If you put your own stamp of approval on other people’s blogs, you are saying to  your audience “Here, I thought you might be interested in reading this.”

Essential Element #2: Have a System to Curate Information. 

There are many ways to find good blogs, websites, or information on the web, but here are some of the ways I have found to be useful.

• Twitter. Look at the Tweets of your following, search on certain hashtags, or use Twitter’s search engine (http://search.twitter.com) for keyword searches.

• Google. If I am looking for a very specific subject matter, such as “new SEO techniques”, I will use Google to see what has been written. I am only interested in fresh content, so filter in information that has only been written in the last 30 days.

• YouTube. If I want to explain something to my audience and I think it can be better conveyed via video, I will search YouTube for that topic and post the video on my social channels.

• Press Releases. Looking at your own organization’s press releases can sometimes be re-purposed for a blog or highlighted within a social post.

Essential Element #3:  Follow the 3 A’s: Analysis, Assistance, or Amusement. 

Analysis: Share a new report, study, or outcome. Put your voice into the post, by saying something like this:

“Did you know the hospitality industry provides for 1 out of 9 US Jobs? No? Read this fascinating report about the economic impact meetings have on the US economy (URL).” 

Assistance: These are usually tips and techniques your audience can use. Here is an example:
“Who doesn’t want this for their business? 9 Tips to Improve Your Search Ranking (URL).”

Amusement: These posts are intended to show the “lighter” side of your organization — to make people smile or laugh. Here are two examples:

“Please add a caption to this picture (show a funny photo)” or

Finish this sentence: “If you were to describe Mulligan Management Group, LLC in one word, that word would be __________________.” 

Mulligan Management Group, LLC is based in Hudson, Ohio and provides digital marketing assistance. Give us a call at  330.472.7673 for a FREE Consultation!