Many people use social media these days.
Teens love TikTok, influencers and small businesses use Instagram and Facebook, and professionals connect on LinkedIn.
Social media is a great way to make connections and find success.
If used smartly, it’s a direct way to reach your audience, grow your business fast, and ultimately, improve your life.
And right content and timing can significantly impact online engagement and reach for your business.
Good content that resonates with your audience can boost engagement, and posting when your audience is most active increases your reach.
This combination helps you connect better with people online, making their social media efforts more successful.
Let’s talk about what and when to post in 2024 so you can use social media most effectively in 2024.
Start by Understanding Your Audience
Knowing your audience on social media is like understanding who your friends are.
Different platforms attract different kinds of people.
If you know what your social media friends like, you can share things that interest them, making your posts more interesting.
This helps businesses create content that appeals directly to their customers, increasing the chances of being noticed and liked.
Also, understanding your audience lets you choose the right time to post, ensuring engagement and reaching more people every time.
In the end, it helps you build stronger connections, increase visibility, and achieve better results in promoting your products or services.
There are many ways to research your audience preferences such as,
- Focus Groups
- Competitive Analysis
- Interview Your Clients/Teammates
- Listen to Sales/Customer Success Calls
- Facebook Audience Insights
- Secondary Market Research
- On-Site Surveys
- Customer Surveys
- Poll (or Simply Talk to) Your Network
- Customer Panels
And many more.
Leverage Content Trends in 2024
In 2024, we’re seeing some cool trends shaping up. Firstly, social media is turning into a major player in the search engine game. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are not just for scrolling anymore; they’re where real insights are found, giving Google a run for its money.
This is a big deal, especially since Gen Z loves to use these platforms for their shopping decisions.
Next up, longer videos are making a comeback.
Yeah, short videos were all the rage, but now videos between 2-5 minutes are getting more love.
Platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok are catching on and extending their video length limits.
People are heading to these social networks for more detailed content, and longer videos are just what they need.
Also, there’s a shift happening from public feeds to DMs.
Social media feeds are super crowded these days, so more personal updates are moving to DMs and features like Instagram’s Close Friends.
It’s all about those more private conversations now.
Then there’s Telegram. This app is on the rise with 800 million monthly users, and it’s not just about secure messaging anymore.
It’s turning into a full-blown social network with group chats, stories, and even an advertising platform.
Marketers, keep an eye on this one!
Lastly, LinkedIn is changing its tune a bit. It’s focusing more on professionalism and less on personal content.
They’re tweaking their algorithm to favor professional insights and advice, and they’re even dishing out Top Voice badges for the best professional content.
With more Gen Z users hopping on, LinkedIn is really leaning into this professional vibe.
Use Platform-Specific Content Strategies
It is very important to know what to post on major platforms:
On LinkedIn, it’s like your digital workplace, so it’s good for sharing professional stuff.
You can post about your company, share insights about your industry, or talk about things happening in the business world.
For example, you might share an article about the latest trends in your field or post a thought about a work-related topic.
Instagram is where photos and Reels shine. It’s like a visual diary, so you can share cool images and videos.
Show what happens behind the scenes in your business, like the making of a product or what a regular day looks like.
You can also share pictures that your customers take using your products, making it more fun and engaging.
Such as, a clothing brand might post pictures of new outfits or a bakery could share a video of the baking process.
Facebook is like your digital hangout with friends and neighbors.
It’s good for community stuff, so you can post about local events, share updates about what’s happening in your business, or talk about causes you care about.
For example, if you run a small local shop, you might post about an upcoming event in your town or share a post about supporting local charities.
X (Formerly Twitter) is like a fast-paced conversation. It’s great for quick updates, sharing news, or chatting with customers.
You can tweet about what’s happening right now in your business, like a flash sale or a new product launch.
If a customer has a question or issue, you can quickly respond, making it a good platform for customer service.
Like, a tech company might tweet about a new feature they just released or reply to a customer asking for help with their product.
Time Your Posts for Maximum Impact
One of the most frequent questions I get from clients is when’s the best time to post on different social media platforms?
Well, there’s no right answer. It totally depends upon the nature of your business and your target audience. After experimenting with different schedules, you need to figure out what’s the best time for ‘your’ social channels.
That said, after checking lots of posts on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to see if some days and times are better for getting more likes and comments, usually the best time to share on social media in general is 9:00 AM PST (12:00 PM EST) on Mondays.
But each social network has its own perfect time.
- – For Facebook, it’s best to post at 10:00 AM PST on Mondays.
- – On Instagram, aim for 9:00 AM PST on Mondays.
- – Twitter sees the most engagement at 9:se00 AM PST on Fridays.
- – If you’re on LinkedIn, 1:00 PM PST on Mondays is a good time.
- – And for TikTok, Sundays at 1:00 PM PST work well.
Engage with Your Audience
To create interactive posts that people love and engage with, here are 5 tips for you:
- Understand Your Audience:
Identify your target demographic by gathering age, interests, and job information.Use this data to tailor content, prioritize platforms, and optimize ad targeting.
- Plan a Targeted Strategy:
Craft a cohesive message tailored to your audience’s interests and current trends.Ensure all content aligns with your brand and industry to maintain relevance.
- Tailor Content for Each Platform:
Adapt content for specific platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.Optimize engagement by identifying and utilizing the preferred content formats on each platform.
- Collaborate with Creative Minds:
Brainstorm interactive posts and consider collaborating with a creative team.Hire professionals or leverage freelancers and AI tools to enhance content quality even on a budget.
- Analyze and Learn:
Regularly assess social media reports for insights into engagement, follower growth, and sales impact. Experiment with different interactive content types to understand your audience’s preferences…
On the other hand, replying to comments and messages is like talking with friends.
It’s important because it helps create a community.
When you answer what people say, it shows you care about them.
It’s like having a friendly chat, and that makes people feel close.
When you connect with your community, they are more likely to stay, share your things, and be happy supporters.
So, responding is a friendly way to build a strong and supportive group of people on social media.
Adapt to Algorithm Changes
Have you ever thought about why some posts are at the top?
Is it just because of the person’s popularity?
No!
Algorithms are the one influencing the post’s visibility.
They look at things like what you’ve done before, who you follow, and when you’re online.
These systems try to boost your experience, but the impact on what you see and don’t see is pretty big and not always clear.
So, let’s dig into what algorithms are and how they work.
Social media algorithms are like computer programs running the show on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
They decide what shows up on your feed, aiming to make your experience better by putting the most interesting stuff first.
To stay updated with these changes and adjusting strategies accordingly you should:
- Follow platform updates, read blogs about social media trends, and attend webinars.
- Try different types of posts, check how they’re doing, and adjust your strategy.
- Connect with others in your field for advice.
- Stay flexible, be ready to change, and use analytics to see what works best as social media rules change.
Focus on Consistency and Planning
You must be thinking why it is necessary to post regularly and maintain audience engagement.
Here are 7 reasons:
- Get Noticed:
Regular social media posts help people remember and recognize your brand, making you more visible to potential customers.
- Show Up Online:
Share fresh content on platforms like Facebook and Instagram to increase your chances of appearing in search engine results when people look for things related to your brand.
- Boost Sales:
Every social media post is a chance to convince potential customers to buy from you. Posting regularly increases your visibility, improving overall conversion rates.
- Build Loyalty:
Share your business milestones, community contributions, or new hires on social media. People follow business accounts to get to know you and your team, building a lasting relationship.
- Understand Your Audience:
Social media helps you learn about your customers. Regular posts give insights into what they like and dislike, helping you focus on topics that interest your ideal clients.
- Track Success:
Posting regularly lets you figure out what works and what doesn’t. Monitor metrics to see if, for example, posting more often or having special offers brings more engagement or new followers.
- Customer Support:
Some customers prefer using social media to communicate, whether it’s a complaint, compliment, or comment. Posting regularly shows your customers that you’re active and ready to help.
Handling your social media gets easier with tools like:
- Buffer streamlines your content strategy by enabling you to schedule posts across various platforms effortlessly. Hootsuite consolidates your social media accounts, facilitating pre-planned posts for ongoing audience engagement. Later is ideal for Instagram enthusiasts, aiding in the organized scheduling of visually appealing posts for a polished profile.
- CoSchedule stands out with its user-friendly interface, offering collaborative content calendar planning for efficient team coordination. TweetDeck caters to Twitter aficionados, simplifying tweet scheduling and feed management. Canva extends beyond scheduling, empowering you to craft visually stunning images that captivate your audience and enhance your content.
- Facebook Creator Studio proves indispensable for Facebook and Instagram users, providing a comprehensive solution for planning, monitoring post performance, and seamless content management. These tools collectively simplify the process of consistent posting, fostering sustained audience interest.
Conclusion
In 2024, for your business on social media, here’s the deal:
know your audience, follow the trends, adapt to each platform, time your posts wisely, engage with your audience, adjust to algorithm changes, and stick to a consistent plan.
This way, you’ll ace the social media game and keep your business shining.