A Less Is More Approach To Building Your Social Media Presence

The social landscape evolves quickly, but one thing remains timeless: less is more.

It's not a fresh idea, but it does wonders for your social media presence. And yet many businesses still make the mistake of spreading themselves too thin. Here's why you don't have to try so hard:

People Won't Tune You Out

Businesses who participate in social media without learning the different customs and expectations of each network run the serious risk of undermining their credibility. Never assume a one-size fits all approach. 

Sharing too much too often doesn't necessarily encourage more engagement, in fact people are more apt to tune you out completely because of it. This is especially true if you've been guilty of sharing the same piece of content several times a day or several times over a certain period, such as a sale or promotion. That type of content strategy can come off spammy and can lead to people unfollowing you or marking you as spam. Understandably you want your message to reach the maximum possible audience, but if people see the same content several times in a short period of time, it can be more off-putting than enticing.

It Keeps You From Depleting Your Resources

Shift your focus away from social media and invest in building your owned online assets like your website. Businesses that try to engage on too many platforms will find that it's almost impossible to maintain a high level of engagement. By having a clear sense of what you're trying to achieve on each social account, as well as how often and when you'll post—you'll find it easier to maintain a consistent and strong social media presence given your available resources. 

Also, you'll be able to focus more on quality and stay fresh by giving yourself space between posts. And you definitely won't burn out your social media team. 

Social Media Algorithms

The rise of algorithm-based social feeds has made it harder for businesses to organically reach audiences (take for example Facebook's announcement on January 19th, 2018), but it does not mean that businesses should stop putting effort into their social presence all together. Social networks can grow at a snail’s pace, and you have to keep that in mind when you join and are starting from zero. 

Attempting to "game" the social media algorithms is a fool's errand. Instead, don't sweat the algorithms, they'll always change. What your business can do to overcome the organic visibility issue that algorithms have created is to employ advertising when it makes sense. Also learn when content is not worth posting and actively listen and respond to user comments and messages. 

It Doesn't Matter How Large A Social Footprint You Have

Your business could have hundreds of thousands of social media followers without it making a difference to your business. In social media, what matters is how compelled people feel to talk about your business. Managing one social media account property can be a huge responsibility by itself. Even large companies have difficulty adequately staffing and running one lone Facebook page. You can be small or large, but your social media presence is just one piece of the larger puzzle of your business.

So don't stretch yourself thin jumping onto every social network and worrying about how your social performance metrics compare against your competitors. In the grand scheme of things, social footprint is an illusion, what isn't is the sentiment people have for your business. Focus on making your social presence about your customer base and investing in high quality content that meets their wants and needs because the #1 thing that always works on social is being responsive and helpful. 

Final Thoughts 

While it's become crucial for businesses to maintain an online presence, don't feel pressured to do what doesn't make sense for your business. There is no way to predict virality, but if you lay down the right groundwork, you’re doing the smartest thing. The idea behind less is more is to share enough to be heard with an emphasis on sharing content people want. And don't forget to have fun with it. If it becomes too time consuming and painful, rethink how you could make it easier to do social media. Remember, on the web, consumers control your brand so be engaged, don't stop learning new and relevant ways of reaching your customer base. Learning how to adapt and work in symphony with the ever changing social landscape is what will enable your business to grow. But be thoughtful and take a light approach with how you expend your energy on social media efforts.

If you're looking for an agency with a data-driven yet human approach to web design and social media strategy, contact us for a free quote or assessment.