A beginner’s guide to social media
From the endless memes to unsubstantiated advice from influencers, social media can be very overwhelming. With 48% of Generation Z consuming their news on social media platforms, however, it’s wise to consider getting involved if you have something important to say. Plus, social media can be a great way to build a community that can lead to your paid services.
Here’s a few things to consider as you launch and build your social media presence:
1. Understand your “Social Why”
To identify which social media platform is best for you, you need to understand the problem you’re helping your audience solve and how it links to your business. Draft a simple social media mission statement to help focus the content you create and share. For example, we use the Dietitian Connection LinkedIn channel to inspire, empower and ignite our community of dietitians with a pathway to the latest professional development opportunities. That’s why our posts often include direct links to upcoming webinars, podcasts and events we’re hosting for you.
2. Research and pick your platform
LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok all allow you to share content, but each channel attracts a different audience, so the type of content shared should reflect this. For example, the biggest age group using TikTok is 10-19 years old. To reach older consumers, Facebook might be more beneficial, with 72% of internet users aged between 50 – 64 using the platform.
3. Prepare your content
Map out your content ideas and stress test each against your “Social Why”. Going back to our LinkedIn example, posting about a healthy recipe isn’t going to make sense on this platform unless we link it to how dietitians might be able to use it as a resource to inspire their clients in practice.
4. Measure your content
Tracking your engagement is the easiest way to see if your social media efforts are paying off. Review how many users see your posts (i.e. your reach) and how many people are commenting and clicking on what you share (i.e. your engagement). If your metrics are low, consider changing the type of content you post or explore another platform.