What is Good Social Media Content?

Effective social media means keeping things interesting, engaging and helpful. The ultimate goal is to get followers to share and participate. But, what is ‘good' content? Is it staying away from political, spammy or unethical posts? Yes, but it's not that simple. We live in a socially saturated world that demands worthwhile messages that quickly grab our interest.

Some things to consider:

• Listen: Create content around what customers are talking or asking about.
• Vary: Don't post, tweet and blog the same messages simultaneously—mix it up.
• Create: Use sharable infographics or other kinds of multimedia to house information.

Above all, keep it fresh. No one wants to read the same post again and again. And since you should limit your words, think about the impact of each one. Keep messages persuasive and active. Also, spend plenty of time writing about things unrelated to your business. We repeat: unrelated! Many experts recommend an 80/20 rule, which suggests the majority of posts should include relevant information that adds value, whether that's from you or other shared sources, and only the smallest portion are self-serving and promotional. So mind the posts mentioning sales and specials—too many and you could lose followers. (Manta.com)

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