It’s Not Me, It’s You: Social Media Posts That Target Your Audience

We’re all proud parents when it comes to our company’s social media. We want to show off how great we are, highlighting our people and technology and how they’re impacting the science space…

Simmer down, Soccer Mom. No matter how tempting it is to post religiously about your company, that’s not what your audience wants to read about all the time.

According to marketing experts, businesses should follow the 80-20 rule: 80 percent of posts should be selfless industry-related content, while the remaining 20 percent can be directed toward a company plug.

If you’re not entirely sure how to achieve this ratio, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. Below are some social media content ideas that increase follower interest. At the same time, you’ll be preserving the impact of those one in five posts that do reference your skills.

Entertaining, industry-focused content is a must:

People use social media for socializing, unwinding, and catching up on industry news. Tweeting about your quality assurance officer’s speech at a local networking event fulfills none of these needs. Instead, find an interesting industry article or image to break up your content stream. If you sell ultra-low scientific freezers, you can post about life in the lab. Share funny experiment-failure memes to align your company with your audience organically.

Ex:
5 thought experiments that #Einstein used to become a genius- https://t.co/gpMI21pBTu What is your next thought experiment?— Life Science Network (@lifescience) August 2, 2016

Provide value through advice and tips:

Often times, the most impactful posts are ones that add value to the reader. While many viewers gloss over information centered around your product, they do engage with posts that provide neutral advice for solving a problem. Posting genuinely helpful advice will position you as a trusted resource and drive recruitment of new followers interested in your areas of expertise.

Ex:
Miss it the 1st time? Get Tips and Tricks for Presentation Perfection in Life in the Lab https://t.co/MglnWZ4BNT pic.twitter.com/XJgQXocXuX— Thermo Fisher (@thermofisher) August 15, 2016

Share impactful data and statistics:

If you’re in the life sciences, facts and statistics go a long way to establishing credibility. Incorporating relevant data points can help your social content stand out and create intrigue for viewers to learn more. Infographics are also a great way to send a powerful message to your audience.
Ex:

emailmarketing is 40x more effective than #socialmedia at acquiring customers – here’s our take on why, & how https://t.co/cZqzGkt19f— Chempetitive Group (@chempetitive) May 18, 2016

Ask the right questions:

Start a dialogue by asking your followers a question. It can be good market research for your business aims and it helps switch the focus to your audience. Twitter polls are designed for such engagement. Have a look at some successful Twitter polls to get a feel for what works, then post a general and fun query out to your follower base.

Ex:
As the world gets ready to watch the #OpeningCeremony, what are you looking forward to most? #Rio2016— Twitter (@twitter) August 5, 2016

Relevant events and happenings:

Even if you’re not attending the event or conference, a subset of your followers will be. They’ll likely appreciate relevant information being fed their way, so serve them with your research skills. Follow any journalists at the event, as well as bloggers and industry thought-leaders.
Ex:

2016AACC: AACC conference primer on #marijuana research, #Zika, & #tobacco deaths https://t.co/c6M7aZnSiD pic.twitter.com/r9Qy5o05PH— Chempetitive Group (@chempetitive) July 29, 2016

You deserve to post about your business – it’s awesome after all. But social success is driven by a range of content types that make you irreplaceable to your followers. Be the news. When you do plug your products or services, relate it to the audience. Once established, track engagement with your followers and prepare to iterate as the information comes in.

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