The Three E’s of Social Media

Many businesses and Social Media Managers struggle with what content they should post on their Social Media platforms. It doesn’t matter if it’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, or Linkedin the struggles for some are real. Ask an author and they will tell you about writer’s block, that’s when their creative mind falls into limbo. Imagine parachuting out of a plane at 10,000 feet and all of a sudden you stuck at 5,000 feet just floating in mid-air, horrifying to say the least.

During my eight years of working in Social Media, I’ve experienced writer’s block sometimes it comes from the heavy workload of working with multiple clients, and forgetting what day of the week it is. Other times it’s a matter of not executing your Social Media Strategy. Remember that 3-hour video conference call with your client and all they talked about was increasing their sales and promoting their products. It was the same meeting your client told you about what is best for their Social Media audience which has a total of 1,000 followers on Facebook and they constantly use the F-Bombs in their posts. Forgive me if this gives you flashbacks of a past or current client. Anyone who has worked for a marketing agency will be able to relate. 

One of the mistakes which plague businesses and inexperienced Social Media Managers is constantly offering a sale…Buy 1 get one FREE, and the infamous 50% off. Don’t cheapen your product when you bring the value of your product down your customers will never look at it the same. Imagine if Bentley started selling their Continental GT for 40K, customers who spent $250,000 might start a riot. Customers buying your products at full price only to have them go on sale the following week for 50% off will not be happy. You’ll be flooded with emails and calls demanding refunds, credit, and the dreaded chargeback 😰. Plus they will rip you on your Social Media pages and post negative reviews. If all your Social Media posts are about a sale you’ve made a big mistake in branding. Your audience will not grow and your engagement data will resemble the batting average of a legally blind baseball player.

Your Social Media posts need to focus on the 3 E’s of Social Media, engage, educate, and entertain. That may sound like a tall order to fill but it’s not.

Engagement, I’m not referring to the one with a diamond ring but one of asking your audience a question. Let’s say you sell picnic baskets and they are available in 7 colors. Ask your audience what other colors they would like to see you offer. Start a dialogue with your audience that will bring a response. Don’t ask a closed-ended question that can be answered with a “yes” or “no”. Get their opinions and when they respond reply. I’ve seen engagement numbers go through the roof with a carefully crafted question. One request that always works for me among the automotive crowd is “Post a photo of your car”. Let your audience showcase their stuff and watch the comments, shares, and likes skyrocket.

Educate, not everyone is an expert on Social Media some people are novices who need some education on your products or the services you offer. Let’s say you’re in the custom wheel business. One of the terms used in the wheel industry is “offset” there is a positive and negative offset of the wheel. A few diagrams explaining the difference is a simple way to educate your audience which will probably increase your engagement. Don’t be afraid to give your audience a class on your products. Talk about the benefits of your products, and why the materials you use are the best and will hold up under adverse conditions. Give your audience reasons to buy your products, and educate them. An educated consumer makes smart purchases.

Entertain, some people are hesitant to make their audience laugh. In my experience, I’ve seen a funny meme, video, or photo bring in crazy engagement numbers. Keep in mind whatever you post should be tasteful and not offend anyone. Make sure your posts tie into the products or services you offer. Stay consistent.

Social Media is a great tool for businesses make sure you’re using it wisely. Now go build your audience.

Hendrix Nowells

Social Media Manager