Creating Social Content In 2024: The New Beginners Guide.

christophergarth
Jan 29, 2024
7 min read

Photo by Lany-Jade Mondou: https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-pink-and-white-lollipops-on-sticks-18173019/

Embarking on Your Social Media Journey

If you've got a business in the Hunter Valley then this is the right blog to read. Firstly, YAY! Congrats to you. Just starting was a huge undertaking and we're proud of you. Now it's time to drum up some business with some content marketing on social media. But how do we do that on a budget... or without one at all? It's tempting to see social media as a way to reach people and convert them into paying customers. We've worked with a lot of people who think a single post should be enough to just make people part with money. The reality is very few posts go viral and no one knows why - although a lot of agencies and marketers claim they do - For example, did you know what a Stanely Cup was until recently? We didn't either. But it's the in-thing and they must be moving product like crazy. If you've decided to plunge into the realm of social media to boost your business presence in the Hunter Valley then you need to start by creating a stellar account.

Step 1 - Choose Your Platforms And Set Up Your Accounts

This guide is going to focus on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn as any content you create either as a portrait or square can be easily converted to fit all 4 platforms- more on that later. Be aware that each caters to a different demographic so delete the irrelevant platform as you see fit. Know where your customers visit on social media and focus on those social spaces. We are also going to assume that you've created a business account using a professional email address on all platforms - we'll cover the basics of account setup and best practices in a future blog post but to give you a quick rundown: 1. Use a single consistent business email for all accounts. This is more a housekeeping thing but it helps when logging in to only use one. 2. Create your accounts with one consistent name. All should be the same for searchability in each app. This makes it easier for your customers to search across different platforms 3. Create and use professional profile images, header images, and consistent info across all profiles. That includes all captions, contact details, and any unique elements in each app. 4. Follow all recommended steps in the account creation process. This is important as it helps you set up your accounts. Don't skip anything or get lazy. The stage has now been set for your brand's online presence.

Step 2. -The Art of DIY Content Creation

Now that your account is up and running, it's time to dive into the exciting world of content creation. Don't worry; you don't need a fancy agency to create engaging posts (although we can always help supercharge it for you). There are some basic tenants when it comes to content in 2024: 1. Use eye-catching images and/or videos:

Start with the visuals and keep them as high quality OR genuine as you can. Use your smartphone to capture eye-catching photos of your products or services. Ensure good lighting and experiment with angles. Keep what you do in the center of the picture at all times - too often we see great shots that communicate nothing about the product at hand. There are 3 ways to gather this content, create it yourself, ask customers to generate it for you, or find high-quality stock imagery online like at Pexels. 2. Tell a story:

Next, master the art of copywriting and storytelling. Share your brand's journey, behind-the-scenes moments, success stories, and even failures. This personal touch builds a connection with your audience. We suggest a 500-word limit for your posts unless you believe your audience will engage with longer-running content. Experiment with emojis, different paragraph structures, and storytelling methods as you see fit until you've found your brand fit.

3. If it doesn't fit your brand, dump it: Your business accounts are not the place to talk about family, gossip, personal beliefs or anything not business-related. This is a place for customers to connect with your brand, product, and how you can transform their lives. Unless those things are a cornerstone of your brand, reserve them for your personal accounts.

Step 3: How to Create Content

Okay, you've got a great image selected. You've got copy written up that makes your brand shine and connect with your audience. Now all you've got to do is design the content in the right size. When designing content keep all important info within the safe zone. What is a safe zone? It's the area inside your content that isn't obscured by any of the surrounding user interfaces. An incredible post can be ruined by forgetting the safe zone. If you are cross-posting on multiple platforms then here is the content size range for the platforms we outlined earlier: Facebook Square Post: 1200 x 1200 px

Stories and Reels: 1080 x 1920 px

Safe Zone: Square posts should be 20px in on all edges. Stories and reels can be designed up to each side edge but with 1400 px safe zone in the middle from top to bottom.

Instagram

Square/Carousel Post: 1080 x 1080 px

Stories and Reels: 1080 x 1920 px Safe Zone: Square posts should be 20px in on all edges. Stories and reels can be designed up to each side edge but with 1400 px safe zone in the middle from top to bottom. TikTok Stories: 1080 x 1920 px Safe Zone: Content should be placed 320 px up form the bottom edge and 120 px in from the right edge, as this is where the TikTok interface will obscure your content. LinkedIn Square Post: 1200 x 1200 px Portrait Post: 1080 x 1350 px Safe Zone: Keep all content 20px in on all edges for all content sizes.

Step 4: Where To Create Content

You should use whatever digital methods are most comfortable for you. We would suggest speaking with a talented creative team, agency, or freelancer to design this content for you HOWEVER Canva can be used in a pinch. We don't believe in gatekeeping tools from any business owner who wants to wear the 'design and marketer' cap in their business too, so Canva represents a great option with ready-made templates suited to social content. Be warned however of 2 facts with Canva: 1. Templates are obvious. Canva templates are not striking and generally lack creativity, especially when every person on the internet can access them. Unique content designs take skill, which is what you pay creatives are for.

2. Everything created in canva, using their elements, items, photos, videos, templates and music is owned by Canva (see their T's & C's for more info). If you created your logo in Canva, news flash, it's non-trademarkable. The same goes for their content creation tools. You get hte content for free, but the ownership of your final designs falls into a grey area.

Creating content is an art, and like any art form, there are techniques that can elevate your creations that fall outside of stock templates.

Step 5: The Power of Strategic Posting

You've crafted amazing content, but when you post it matters just as much. Understanding your audience's online behavior is crucial for strategic posting. You'll need to consistently post for a short period to unlock your first wave of analytics. This could be 1-2 months, which represents the first real hurdle for most would be social media managers. Social media content strategies are all about being consistent, posting regularly, and being engaged to get the most our of each platform. The most valuable insights to focus on are: Watch time - how long a user/account was engaged with your content. When users are most active - the specific time that users are most active on social media. Use this data to create super engaging content and to schedule your posts during peak times.

Finally, Consistency is important as well as your own engagement behaviors. We recommend posting as regularly as you feel comfortable. 1-5 times a week works great to begin with, but if your audience is content hungry you may need to consider daily posts. Likewise, when you plan to post, ensure you use your platform for 10-15 minutes on either side of the post. Comment on content, view and share content and just engage with your community. This sends signals to your app of choice that you want to feed their algorithm too, which can help your account grow.

Step 6: Fine-Tuning Your Social Media Strategy

Creating content is an ongoing process. To keep your audience engaged, regularly evaluate and refine your strategy. You might find that reels are no longer working, so test carousels. TikTok posts at 6pm might be driving up more engagement, so you may want to plan multiple posts at that time to test it out. Monitor your analytics for engagement rates, reach, and follower growth. Identify successful posts and replicate their elements. Content trends come and go and we don't recommend relying on them entirely, but consider jumping onto a viral train every once in a while to test if you'll get additional growth from it. Adjust your strategy accordingly to stay relevant in the ever-evolving landscape - or even send us a DM to find out what we think is trending up for our clients.

Crafting compelling social media content doesn't require a degree in marketing - although it does help. Armed with the right knowledge and a heaping serve of creativity, you can establish a robust online presence for your business in the Hunter Valley. So, roll up your sleeves, embrace the DIY spirit, and let your content shine in the vast social media universe!

PS: Don't Plan To Go Viral

You can't predict what will go viral. There is no formula. When we reviewed past viral pieces of content we found a few interesting common threads:

It's usually a single idea or observation

It's easy for someone to mimick and copy.
It's a mixture of entertainment or education in video format.
It usually involves having a person in the video that is relevant to a specific niche audience.

Viral content always starts with a niche and grows outwards. The early adopters are the ones to watch. There are no recipes when it comes to viral content, but if you're trying to create some then you want to consider: