Digital Marketing Executive Bruna discusses learnings after attending an Epic Content Masterclass.
On Wednesday I attended an Epic Content Masterclass, hosted by industry gurus Holly Haynes and Dean Seddon. Throughout the session, everything from secret content hacks to the trials and tribulations of creating and running social accounts was discussed, and by the end of it, my brain felt like it physically couldn’t hold another piece of information. I walked away from the event with lots to think about, new ideas bubbling away and feeling somewhat reflective of all the content I’ve churned out over the years.
But my top 5 takeaways?
1.Become a part-time therapist for your audience.
It all starts with a reaction. Most of the time, we only stop and engage with content that emotionally resonates with us; so, if you don’t understand who you’re talking to, then how can you get a reaction? Besides looking at the traits of your buyer persona (i.e., location, age, gender etc.), think about the problem they need solving and how you can A) do that for them and B) evoke a reaction from them. Understanding the ‘why’ and the wider feelings surrounding that will drive your content to the right audience.
2. Does the algorithm care about quality?
Essentially, algorithms are designed to enhance whatever platform you’re using and are intended to keep your attention on their platform for as long as possible. The average LinkedIn post barely gets 3 impressions, and the hard truth is, is that sometimes you can produce a great piece of content, and it will get hardly any engagement. In the session yesterday, we conducted a mini experiment, in which an audience member took a group selfie and posted it on LinkedIn. The caption was minimal, there was no branding or editing to the picture, and no hashtags were used. Then, everyone else in the room stared at the picture for 25 seconds off their own device. Within 16 minutes we were almost at 500+ impressions, because we’d tricked the algorithm into thinking it was content that had gripped the attention of 50 people. In 30 mins, the picture had almost 1,000 impressions and was being shown to accounts who worked for big names like Netflix. The point is, is that LinkedIn didn’t really care what was posted. All the algorithm determined was that a group of people stopped on a post for a period slightly longer than usual, and that was enough to send the algorithm into overdrive. So, with that said, disrupt your audience. Make them stop. Whether that’s with bright imagery, an unusual hook, or just asking everyone in the office to look at your post for 25 seconds.
3. A Jack of all trades is master of none.
There is a pressure when it comes to running socials and creating content which makes us feel like we must always be everywhere. And the truth is, we don’t need to appear across every platform consistently. Holly’s key message for the first half of yesterday’s session was “it’s always better to be on few platforms and do it well.” Creating content and running social media accounts is hard work. Trying to churn out content for every single platform, build followers, create a strategy and report on the success is near impossible to do alone. So, being consistent, engaging and reacting on fewer channels is the ultimate way to nurture your audience and build a community which engages with you.
4. Keep it real.
True to the values of Mustard, sometimes you just gotta keep it real. When it comes to social content, human-looking imagery tends to perform better, and if everything looks like branded advertising then people are less likely to engage with your content. Personal accounts tend to perform better than brand accounts (perhaps true considering the power behind influencers), so maybe it’s time to consider the way you’re approaching content. Although branding gives uniform and a level of consistency, people thrive off experiencing a ‘real’ element behind what they see online.
5. Stand for something.
Being vanilla simply won’t cut it. Whether it’s a USP, a story or a brand personality, standing for something online will create more engagement. Content needs to have a ‘why’ but don’t think that every piece of content must be factual, serious information – sometimes its about showing who you are. A great example of this is Ryanair’s content. They’ve completely taken the focus away from being a cost-effective airline who is trying to sell tickets and is instead having fun with their social media content. It might seem like all they’re doing is posting memes, but what they’re really doing is enticing you with their reactive, humorous content (shared from a first-person perspective)- which is resulting in more followers and their audience seeing them as a brand with something, usually hilarious, to say. Genius.
Ultimately, my key takeaway from the Epic Content Masterclass is that to be a marketer is to be human. As much as being professional and having a solid business idea is commendable, when it comes to online activity, understanding the psyche behind who you are speaking to is way more important. People use the internet as an escape and a place where they seek answers to their problems. Perhaps shifting the focus from ‘sell! Sell! Sell!’ to being authentic is the way to keep your followers engaged, reach a new audience and build a powerhouse brand name.