We recently shared a post about why consistency is important in social media marketing. Consistency and frequency is a huge part of success on social, but quality content is the other side of that coin. Posting a lot only does you good if the content is relevant, specific, and high-quality.

So why is it important that content be relevant, specific, and high-quality? Two of the biggest reasons are quality content 1) engages readers more and 2) boosts your google ranking. Google uses 8 major algorithms that analyze and sort content based on location, quality, and searcher intent. The content on your website, blogs, social media profiles, and emails all affect how the algorithms rank you.

So here are some aspects of quality content and why they're important:

Relevant

Your content needs to give value to your customers. If your posts and blogs don't tell your audience something they want to know or care about, they'll tune you out. It doesn't matter how much you're able to manipulate algorithms with volume. If your customers tune you out, you've lost the social game.

There's a longstanding debate over how long a blog should be to get the best SEO. Some people have said 500 words is the max, others 2,500 words is the minimum. But however long your blogs are, they should be giving valuable information to your audience. In the end, blogs should be no longer or shorter than how long it takes to communicate your point well.

Specific

Adding value is one thing - but customizing your posts for each platform helps your content be more specific.

• Targeting: Each platform draws a unique crowd and has a unique set of "rules." In order to get the highest-quality content on each platform, you need to customize your content for each platform.
  For example, on Facebook you want only 3 hashtags and no links in the post body. On Instagram, you have to have high-quality pictures, as many hashtags as are relevant, and no links. Longer text in the post body works well for Facebook, LinkedIn, and sometimes Instagram, but on Twitter and GoogleMyBusiness, you'll lose people fast with long copy. Adjust your content based on the platform you're using to get the best results possible. 
• Variety of media: posting just images on any platform probably isn't a great idea. You'll want to switch it up - post graphics, videos, gifs, and text-only posts as much as you can. Even on Instagram where a visual element of some kind is required, alternate between simple images, videos, and graphics. A variety will keep your audience engaged and make them want to backlink to your page, which boosts SEO.

High-quality

Your content should represent your brand's professionalism and atmosphere well. You want content that people will enjoy looking at, learning from, and sharing with their friends.

• High-resolution/edited pics: let's be honest - what does a blurry or badly lighted picture make you think about the person who posted it? Not warm fuzzies, right? So you don't want your customers thinking that about you. 
• Design: you may not think design is that important, but everything you post needs to be visually appealing. The colors, fonts, and spacing in even the most "insignificant" graphics should be clear, readable, and easy on the eyes. Again, this encourages audience engagement, especially backlinking, sharing, and retweeting.

Quality content gives value to your customers, which is the whole reason you're in business. Whether you're a social media manager, a small-business owner, or an executive in a large company, you should be thinking about the value you're providing your customers through social.

We can help you give value on social in several ways. Find out more about our management services, content creation services, and management software via website, chatbot, or email. Or you can set up a meeting to talk with us directly! Hope to hear from you soon!