Cross promote. Don’t just cross-post. Content is never one size fits all. Especially when it comes to sharing content across different social media channels.
Content is never a one-size-fits-all approach. Especially when it comes to sharing content across different social media channels.
Let’s take a look at the demographics, shall we?
According to Social Media Today, 60% of Facebook users are between 50 to 60 years old.
50% of Twitter users are between the ages of 19 and 49, while Instagram users are predominantly 18 to 29. And that just covers the age differences between the big three — we haven’t even touched on gender, education, location, etc.
Do you think that simply cross-posting content across these channels would bode well for your brand?
Probably not.
For starters, each channel has its own set of features and functions. What’s the point of seeing that you posted a new photo on Facebook, on my Twitter feed? I can’t see the photo because I have to click the link and get taken to your Facebook page.
And let’s be honest here: while it’s tempting to click all the platforms when creating a status in your Hootsuite dashboard, cross posting comes off as lazy, not convenient, to your audience.
I’m not talking about promoting the same content on different channels, I’m talking about literally using the same text copy for all the platforms.
Cross Promote. Don’t Just Cross-Post
This is where audience intimacy comes into play — getting to know your audience and understanding that your IG audience will be different than your Twitter followers, and different from your Facebook fans.
There is nothing wrong with promoting the same content across different channels, but tailoring the approach to match the audience is key. Knowing how to optimize your content across social media channels will help ensure that all of your communities are thriving.
Here’s how to share content across all channels, the right way.
Step 1: Know the Tone of Each Platform
Yes, you’re on social media to connect with other businesses but that doesn’t mean that your status updates have to be written by a corporate robot. While some channels respond well to a corporate style of voice, most welcome a more casual, conversational tone.
Look at Facebook: it’s probably the best mix of pleasure and business. You most likely have family and friends on your friend list, but you also follow some industry leading businesses on there — yet their updates don’t feel spammy because it’s like someone you know wrote them.
The same goes for Instagram: it’s meant for those more candid moments and letting followers into the more human side of the business. Some of the best captions you read make you feel like you’re catching up with an old friend.
While Twitter is best known for its brevity, it’s also one of the most casual social channels when it comes to tone. It’s the land of great one-liners, which brings me to my next point…
Step 2: Choose the Right Focus for Each Audience
Depending on the channel, figuring out what to focus on for your content is easy. For highly visual platforms like Instagram, it’s obvious that the most effort should go to creating a superbly styled photo.
On Twitter, drawing out succinct statistics or crafting killer headlines to make readers want to click on your tweet is key.
Since most Facebook users log on for a dose of entertainment, focusing on the fun part of your content, like trivia or motivational quotes can bode well for engagement.
Step 3: Schedule Accordingly
Other than “what social media platform is the best one to be on?” the next question that gets asked the most is “what time is the best time to post on social media?”.
There’s no perfect answer. This is another concept that is channel-centric — so the real answer is — it depends on the platform.
According to this infographic from Hubspot, the best times to post are:
Facebook; 12:00 to 1:00pm on Saturday and Sunday
Twitter; 12:00 to 3:00pm Monday to Friday
Instagram; anytime Monday to Thursday, except for 3:00 to 4:00pm
Step 4: Keep Channel Features in Mind
If you haven’t already figured it out, each social media channel is like a different room and each platform has its own set of features and functions.
When writing for Twitter, using hashtags that are relevant to the content helps get more engagement from people who aren’t necessarily your followers. Using line breaks in your statuses also help draw more attention to your tweet simply because it allows your tweet to take up more of that precious phone screen.
One of my biggest pet peeves about Instagram is the inability to include links in posts. So, because of that limitation, many businesses change the link in the bio when needed.
While Instagram is all about that visual content, it’s also heavily focused on hashtags — so be sure to include hashtags you think users would naturally associate with your organization.
Final Words
Simply put, you can’t treat all social media audiences the same. While one community may thrive, another may not be getting the content they want. Each platform has its own tone, own schedule and focuses on different content aspects.
Sharing content as is across your channels won’t work. Getting to know each social media audience is key and customizing your sharing tactics will ensure you see higher engagement across the board.
Featured image via Shutterstock
