How do you know when it’s time to shake things up with your social media? Here are 3 tell-tale signs you need to make a change in 2023!
Like a small child in church, social media just can’t stay still.
The scene is constantly evolving. Best practices and the platforms themselves are always changing, usually for the better (but not always — looking at you, Twitter X). What your business did last month to get more clicks, views, comments, and engagement won’t necessarily work this month or next.
But how do you know when it’s time to shift gears and change your approach?
Our resident marketing strategist and social (media) butterfly Lindsay Miller shared with us three key signs it's time for companies to adjust, adapt, and overcome.
Take it all in so you can change with the times before it’s too late.
In today's visually-driven social media landscape, audiences crave authenticity and uniqueness. But it’s awfully hard to be unique when you’re sharing the same graphics as everyone else.
One of the most common indicators of a faltering social media strategy is relying too much on generic graphics and stock imagery—you know, the same material your competitors use. As Lindsay puts it, "You might need to improve your strategy if your company has only posted generic Canva graphics in the last six months and uses stock imaging for everything."
Why? It’s cheap or free, after all, so isn’t that a good thing? Unfortunately, using stock imagery and generic graphics not only fails to capture your brand's essence but also makes you blend into the crowd.
Want to stand out? Invest in custom graphics and visuals that align with your brand identity. This personal touch can work wonders to boost engagement and make your content more shareable.
(You can even use generative AI tools like DALL·E 2 and Midjourney to create images for you just using text, like Heinz did for an entire ad campaign.)
User engagement is the lifeblood of social media marketing, and its decline can be a glaring sign that your strategy needs a revamp. After all, if your socials aren’t engaging, they’re not doing their job.
Lindsay advises, "While you can't take every dip in engagement as a signal to toss everything out, you may need to pivot or take note."
To diagnose the issue, monitor engagement trends closely. If you notice a consistent drop in likes, comments, and shares, it's time to reassess your approach. (You are tracking that stuff, right?)
Take a look at changing up posting frequency, content type, and timing. You should also take into account how the algorithms themselves impact how your content gets shown. Sometimes, tweaking your posting schedule or content strategy is all it takes to reignite engagement.
Clear goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) are the guiding stars of any successful social media strategy. Lindsay emphasizes their importance, stating, "Let me set the record straight—if you don't have clear goals or KPIs, you won't even be aware of failure or if you need to shift."
Without well-defined objectives, you'll be adrift in the social media sea, with no way to measure success or failure. Setting specific goals, such as increasing website traffic, growing your follower count, or boosting sales, will provide your strategy with direction and purpose.
Regularly tracking KPIs enables you to adjust your tactics in real-time, ensuring your efforts remain aligned with your business objectives.
Ultimately, a successful social media strategy requires continuous monitoring, adaptation, and a commitment to delivering content that resonates with your audience.
You need to be fresh, unique, and ever-vigilant. If you notice you’re not, then poor performance will soon follow—if you can adapt.
Social media doesn’t stay still. Keep moving to keep up!
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