PEO Insider Issue

The digital content landscape for small businesses these days is, in a word, confusing.   

Since the rise of social media, it has proven itself to be an effective tactic to increase brand awareness, create a sense of community, and generate leads at a relatively low cost. It’s almost a given now that social media will be part of a larger communications strategy, and with good reason — it’s one of the easiest ways to reach potential customers and directly communicate with them.  

However, this also means that social media can feel daunting to tackle, especially if you’re new to the space. Whether it’s trying to decode the ever-elusive algorithm or learning how to design graphics for LinkedIn, there is so much information out there that it’s difficult to know where to start.   

You don’t have to be an expert to successfully leverage organic social media for your brand. All you need are a few basic guidelines and tools to get started. If you’re looking to kickstart your PEO’s social media presence, here are some tips that will help you maximize your content reach, and support your overall marketing strategy.  

THE ALGORITHM IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT ISN’T EVERYTHING  

If you’ve worked with social media before, you may already know all about “the algorithm,” and whether you should create content that caters to it. A social media algorithm is the foundation of nearly every platform out there, and does the job of sorting through all of the content on its platform to determine what’s most relevant for a user before serving it to them. Basically, the algorithm decides whether people will actually see your content or not. That’s a big deal!  

So, how do you create content that social media platforms are more likely to prioritize? Unfortunately, the exact answer to this question changes frequently. That said, there are a few key aspects of any social media algorithm that can guide you on the right path, especially when you’re first starting out.  

Many algorithms use prior relationships and past interactions when deciding where to rank your post. If users demonstrate an interest in your content by following your page or engaging with your posts, they are more likely to see your posts in their feed in the future. Prioritize posting relevant content that your audience finds meaningful, as this is a key signal of your relevance to their experience on a platform.  

It’s difficult to guess what types of content are most interesting to your audience. This means that you will need to try out different types of posts to find out what your followers engage with the most. Diversify your content, making use of rich media such as graphics, images, and videos to engage your followers visually. Focus on entertaining and educating your follower base through content marketing to create a meaningful connection with your follower base. This is more likely to elicit a positive response from your audience than text-only promotional posts. You certainly don’t need to be an expert to create exciting graphics, either. Platforms like Canva and Adobe Express are free, robust tools with thousands of ready-made templates and shallow learning curves that will take your social media game to the next level.  

Over time, track engagement metrics such as likes, comments, and reposts to gauge what your followers are most interested in. You can use external analytics tools like Hootsuite and Buffer, or you can track it yourself with a spreadsheet and calculator. Either way, keep an eye on how your followers respond to various types of content. This will help avoid making incorrect assumptions about what your audience notices the most, and where you should continue to focus your efforts.  

Most algorithms reward consistency, and it’s recommended to stick to a regular posting cadence so your followers know what to expect from you. At minimum, it’s recommended that you post on each platform at least once a week, prioritizing the quality of your posts over posting more often.     

Finally, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to social media. Every platform uses different ranking signals in their algorithm, and the exact content prioritized could change over time. That is to say, the algorithm is important, but it isn’t everything. You will get much better mileage from creating consistent, high-quality content that your audience values than trying to cater to the whims of each social network’s ranking system.  

GO BEYOND SOCIAL MEDIA: TACKLING OTHER FORMS OF CONTENT MARKETING  

Now that you know how to post, what should you be posting? Earlier in this article, we touched on the use of content marketing for social media content. Social media is one form of content marketing; that is, creating and publishing meaningful online material to increase brand awareness. But there are other types—such as blogs, infographics, podcasts, and videos to name a few—that you can feed back into your social media to create a unified digital marketing presence. This will help your followers view your social media presence as a resource rather than just a promotional channel, building a sense of community along the way. Content marketing definitely isn’t everything, but it should be a pillar of your social media strategy.  

Of course, this barely scratches the surface of organic social media and other forms or content marketing. The current landscape is vast, with endless opportunity and constant change. Don’t let this intimidate you! By being intentional about how and what you post, you’re already one step above the rest.  

RACH KOMATIREDDY
Communications & Social Media Manager NAPEOAlexandria, VA