There’s a reason why “content is king” on social media. You can’t attract a following of passionate, engaged users if they have nothing to engage with.
Let’s take a look at how you can use strong, engaging content to build your social media community.
Get familiar with the three content categories.
Content can be divided up into three different types, each having its unique uses. So think carefully about how to incorporate each into your marketing strategy.
Long-Form Content
Long-form content is comprised of material such as daily devotionals, keynotes, and podcasts. These are meatier pieces that will take people more time to consume than a glance at a checkout lane. This isn’t content you’ll be able to condense into an infographic for Pinterest. Instead, take this content and post it on a landing page. Next, establish a solid acquisition strategy to get people from social media networks to that specific page.
Short-Form Content
Short-form content – like images, quotes, and GIFs – work beautifully on social media because people can easily consume them in a checkout line or on a lunch break. Ideally, users will watch this brief content, like what they see, and then choose to follow whatever action you call out.
You can also use short-form content to direct people to your long-form pieces. For example, you can create an Instagram story (short-form) that encourages people to watch a sermon on IGTV (long-form).
Evergreen Content
Evergreen content is a piece of content that will always be relevant, regardless of how much time passes or how much the environment changes. This category includes Bible verses, images of your founder, photos of your first trip overseas, and other pertinent information. Evergreen pieces are great for reusing year over year or every couple of months as you see fit.
Make the most of your material.
Content, whether it’s long-form, short-form, or evergreen, takes time to create, so focus on topics and content that will easily allow for molding into multiple pieces. Can you edit your longer videos down to 15-second clips? Can your new prayer guide become a graphic for Pinterest? Think about how you can streamline all of your content so it works effectively across Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Utilize a content calendar.
Your content calendar is going to be your best friend because it helps plan whatever material you want to promote on whichever platform you prefer. It’s also a great way to ensure consistency. As you fill out your monthly or weekly calendar, make sure all of your content pieces – from your messaging to the color themes – stay consistent.
I also suggest planning your posts at least two weeks in advance. This gives you enough time to adjust your social media plan to accommodate new events or information, but also ensures that you never have to scramble last minute to prepare content.
Above all, really listen to what your audience is saying. If they love a piece of content, continue creating it. If they don’t love a post, don’t feel discouraged. Try it one more time and if you still don’t see positive results, pivot to something new.
Social media is constantly evolving and changing. So keep testing new methods, learning relevant information, and listening to your audience. If you do this, I guarantee your platforms will continue to grow.
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