If you’re a millennial, or a zillenial like myself, then you’ll remember a time when we would sit by the computer listening to the dial-up tone connecting to the internet. Little did we know that our first time playing pinball on our computers or music on our iPod was only the beginning of a much bigger story.
Hi, my name is Miriam and I am a Content Creator at 10 Feet Tall.
My passion for design, creative writing and advertising started from a young age — I’d go around singing “wouldn’t it be nice if the world was Cadbury” or would quote “low fat, no fat, full cream, high calcium, high protein, soy, light, skim, omega 3, high calcium with vitamin D and folate or extra dollop?”
We all have 1 or 2 ads that stick with us for life. But, nowadays, instead of watching them on the television, we’re watching them on our phones.
Content Creation is an advertising stream that requires multiple disciplines. From art direction and copywriting to social strategy and platform knowledge — you need to be a jack of all trades to create great social media content.
I’ll tell you one of my favourite moments from 2021. One morning I got a COVID-19 test and the nurse assistant asked me what my occupation was. I answered ‘Content Creator’, and the nurse instantly replied, ‘oh, like a TikTok influencer?’ I couldn’t help but laugh as this is what most people think of when they hear ‘Content Creator’.
Paid vs Organic Social Media
Paid and organic content work simultaneously together but also autonomously. Commonly known as a social media campaign, the goal of paid content is to stand out so that the intended audience stops scrolling and starts paying attention.
On the other hand, organic content can be a mix of both stoppable and scrollable posts. It provides the brand page with life and personality, allowing new followers to view the brand feed with up-to-date and regular posts. Social media pages are also many people’s first point of contact with a brand — so posting regularly and working with influencers can make a big difference.
At the end of the day though, it comes down to the brand’s social media strategy and purpose. Why are they posting? What do they want to tell their followers? Is it informative content? Or is it relatable content? (i.e. funny memes and ‘comment below’ posts).
Social media content creation is forever evolving and changing. Viral trends and hashtag challenges often shape what’s next in social media. Other factors include international (or local) talking points like entertainment, politics and climate conversations. It’s important to remember that social media ultimately exists to help people express thoughts, opinions and stories with others. So any idea that connects people through shared humour or interests will always have cut-through.
So, you’re staying on trend and up-to-date with the social surroundings, but how do you make great content in the first place? I’m glad you asked.
Who’s your audience?
First, you need to understand who your audience is. Why would they want to engage with your content? What’s the reason? How often are they viewing your content? Every day? Once a week? Or occasionally through targeted ads?
What’s the objective?
The next step is to make sure your content is doing exactly what it needs to do. It’s also important to understand the platform in which the piece of content is being posted on. Is it the OG, Facebook? Instagram? Twitter? Maybe it’s LinkedIn? Or maybe you’re travelling into the new realm of Tik Tok? Whichever platform it is, understand it from every perspective in order to achieve optimal content performance.
What aesthetic works best?
Lastly, it comes down to looks. We say ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ but unfortunately, in these modern social times, this is exactly what we do. If your audience isn’t engaged by your content within 3 seconds, then it’s unlikely they’re going to click that like or share button. This comes down to what’s in the content. Is it a face, a person, an influencer, a celebrity, an infographic or an illustration? Obviously a celebrity or an influencer is ideal, however sometimes you just don’t have the budget to feature Chris Hemsworth in your post. If that’s the case, then organising your own photoshoot or stock imagery is the next best thing.
How do I make it shareable?
And, I know what your next question is going to be — how do I get heaps of followers? The simple answer is, make your content irresistible. Ensure that whatever you create is in line with the type of content your audience desires to see, so that their algorithm recommends your ads. You need to make your audience want to like your content, tag their friends in it, and share it with others. Whoever it may be, content comes back to a very old-fashioned touch point method, ‘Word of Mouth’. Tagging friends and sharing content is ultimately how things go around the internet and become viral.
Social media content planning
Now you know all the best social media content practices, the last piece of advice is to plan ahead. Bring your OCD habits into organising your content calendar. How frequently will you post per week? Is there a pattern to your posting schedule? Do you have a designated Q&A Live Story night? Or a ‘behind-the-scenes’ post once a month? Ensure your content calendar is organised, with both the image assets and the caption copy ready to go before you post. And remember kids, whatever you do, don’t buy followers.
