Content drought? 5 tactics to keep your social media channels alive

Most companies make use of their communication channels only when they have exciting news and updates. That is great when there is a lot going on, but how do you keep your business top of mind and active on social media when you have nothing new to share? Here are 5 ideas that might help:

1. Join new trends

Sometimes, it is not about what we say, but how we say it. What years ago we could only communicate through one or two channels, we can express in a multitude of audiovisual platforms, instantly and boundlessly. Find out your target audience and their preferred format and rethink your message to fit in it.

Action example: Make a reel video for Instagram showing your team’s home office, or join an experts’ podcast as a guest. The information you are providing might not be “new” per se, but the format makes it more interesting and relevant.

2. Use what you have -with a twist

Most companies sit on tons of information that they never share with their audience. For example, statistics of how their business has grown, the evolution of their brand values throughout the years or their partnerships with other institutions or companies. This is valuable information that, with the right approach, can help your business stay relevant.

Action example: Comb the Internet for relevant news, recent studies or research papers that you can link with your own data — and make a short post for Social Media linking the two.

3. Engage your employees

Show a whole new side of your business by sharing your teams’ stories, expertise and experience working with your brand. This will help strenghten your reputation as an employer and showing your company’s most precious asset: the team behind it.

Action example: Make a “behind the scenes” post for your Instagram stories, showing your CEO’s routine, or how your research team collaborates remotely.

4. Listen to your customers

Communication works for those who work at it — so put time and effort in creating and maintaining several channels of communication with your audience. The easier you make it for your customer to offer feedback, the better. Customer feedback can give you precious information on what you can improve in your communication — for example, clarity in your explanation of services and product features, transparency and corporate stand regarding socially relevant issues.

Action example: FAQ posts, live polls and informative streams

5. Be where you need to be

A successful customer communications plan is all about meeting consumers where they are. And to do so, your company needs to be visible across several channels. An omnichannel approach will provide opportunities to communicate in a dynamic way with different audiences, showing all aspects of your brand and reaching your target where it gathers.

Action example: Choose 2–3 social media platforms that fit the demographic of your target audience and study what kind of content works best for each platform. For example, Instagram is a visual platform with a young audience, while LinkedIn has a more mature audience that is focused on gaining industry insights. So tailor your format accordingly, sharing links to longer articles on your LinkedIn business page, and pictures of your products on Instagram.

Need help brainstorming social media content, or filling your content calendar? Reach out for an informal chat to hello.aneley@gmail.com