A conversation with Judge Gwyn and Matthew Yoder
Your organization’s owned channels are a powerful conduit to engage your audience. If utilized strategically, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn can amplify your organization’s mission and message to rally current followers and reach future supporters.
In today’s Elmore Edition, Communications Strategist Judge Gwyn and Communications Specialist Matthew Yoder discuss how to thoughtfully tailor content across online platforms to earn maximum impact with your followers.
Why is it important to adjust your content by audience or platform type?
Judge:
Because with any content you produce, you’re trying to spur an action or a feeling. To do that, you first have to know your audience(s), then tailor your message (and where you place it) to the unique audience you’re trying to engage.
When developing content, the very first question you should ask yourself is, “Who am I trying to reach, and where are they?”
Matt:
That’s right. Relevance drives results. Optimize your reach by tailoring the tone, format, and length of content to both the audience and the digital platform.
What type of content is each online platform looking for?
Judge:
You first need to know who’s using each platform.
Instagram’s largest user demographic is 18-34 olds. TikTok is very strong among younger users; about 39% of users are aged 18-24. LinkedIn’s user base skews older, and its content is centered around business news and professional networking. Knowing who is using these platforms and what their behavior patterns are while using them will help inform your content.
Matt:
No matter the platform, you absolutely must have a visual component to every post. For every platform, prioritize video. If video isn’t possible, prioritize good photography. People’s attention spans are short, and a compelling visual will increase the odds they stop scrolling to read your post.
Judge:
When appropriate, these posts should also drive people to another of your owned channels, your website. With full control over the content therein, you can link your social posts to dedicated landing pages to provide more detailed information for your audiences.
Can you give an example of how a nonprofit could change their messaging based on the platform?
Matt:
Sure. Consider a nonprofit that has two primary audiences: the general public and donors. While there may be some crossover, you’re likely to best connect with these audiences in different places. If you’re sharing an important milestone with these groups — say, a building opening — you may connect with the general public on Facebook and Instagram by posting photos and videos highlighting the uses for the community and the attractive elements of the new space. To reach your donor base, however, a longer form post on LinkedIn detailing the overall strategy, project partnerships, and community engagement that enabled the development would be more impactful.
How do you know if your content is “performing well?”
Judge:
Be intentional about measuring success. At the outset of the campaign, define your KPIs (like engagement, shares, and saves), and frequently measure against them throughout the campaign.
Matt:
Success on social media requires some trial and error. Observing what content resonated with your audience should encourage you to try more of the same.
Judge:
At the same time, be open to changing tactics, too. If a type of content no longer gets the engagement it once did, try something new. Not every post will be a hit. Those dud posts are valuable in showing you what your audience does not want to see. As long as you’re adjusting to meet the needs of your audience, you will earn and keep their trust.
Matt:
The most successful content may not be what you would think. For one of my clients, personal “selfie” style videos recorded by the CEO regularly outperform polished, professionally produced videos. This tells me that that organization’s audience values authenticity over aesthetics, so that’s the type of content we produce.
Is it OK to repurpose content across platforms?
Judge:
I once heard a sports analyst say, “Play the hits. They’re the hits for a reason.” This is a great motto for developing content for social media. It’s perfectly acceptable to repost high-performing, evergreen content. Just make sure if you do repurpose content, that it’s relevant to the platform and the time.
Did you write about a concept or project in your annual report last year that is relevant to a current industry trend or conversation? If people can access it online, post a link on your channel to get involved in the conversation.
If your audience is interested in a specific topic area and you see the conversation in other mediums, try to get involved on your owned channels if it is appropriate for your company, voice, and strategy. Just don’t force something that could impact credibility or come off as disingenuous.
Matt:
Likewise, be mindful of blasting the same content across all platforms without tailoring the content to each. Seeing the same thing over and over can tire your audience. Be intentional about how you share the same information in multiple places.
Any final thoughts on optimizing digital content?
Matt:
Be realistic about what your team is capable of. Not every platform will make sense for every organization. For instance, if your social team can’t commit to making multiple videos every single day, TikTok may not be the place for you. It’s better to successfully connect with a devoted audience on fewer platforms than have a lackluster presence on them all.
Judge:
For the foreseeable future, owned media will remain the most direct way to dialogue with your audience. Now is the time to understand and diversify how to best use these platforms. Keep up to date with what the algorithms reward, because it is constantly changing.
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If your owned media management could use some fine tuning, contact us. Elmore can help you optimize your messaging to impactfully connect with your audiences, wherever they are.
