Content Creators: 3 Recommendations for Better Promotion through Social Media

As social media continues to develop and grow, new businesses and influencers are taking to social media every day to promote their brand and their ideas in order influence others to follow and support them. As an Radio Television Film major at Northwestern University, with an interest in the world of social media and what can be done to stay relevant and on top in an ever-changing landscape, I have found two articles that delve into the best practices to improve on one's social media presence.

Digital marketer and social media influencer Kim Garst addresses on her website's article, Facebook Live vs. Instagram Live: Differences & Best Practices, the pros and cons of each site's features and the best time to use those features. She reminds us that while both can increase followers and their online engagement, they must be used uniquely and properly to render success. Both sites share many of the same basic features for when a user goes live that help drive organic traffic and engagement. However, Facebook has much more permanence, allowing the user to keep their live video up to be watched later and continuously engaged with and repurposed. Instagram does not allow the video to be kept up, so it promotes a sense of urgency that will drive followers to engage with the user then and there in order to interact with them in real time.  By understanding these differences and utilizing them properly, brands can best promote themselves to their audiences in real time.

Image source linked here 

On Lilach Bullock's content marketing website, she has an article titled, Are Your Competitors Better Than You At Social Media? in which she addresses the tough competition that social media brings and the importance of analytics and competitive research in order to stay ahead of the game. Performing research by using the tools this article provides allows for better understanding of and engagement with your target audience in terms of types of content, timing of posts, and best hashtags for exposure. Bullock provides tools to compare different social media sites, different accounts within those sites, and monitoring and analyzing hashtags. By conducting this research and staying on top of it, one can better understand and identify future opportunities for growth and user engagement.

After reading these articles and utilizing the knowledge I have gained from my marketing education at Northwestern University, I recommend three courses of action for better utilization and promotion of a brand or content on social media:

•     Choose The Best – Pick the proper social media outlet(s) that will best reach your audience and promote your content.
•       Better Understand Your Competition – See where your competition is thriving/failing on social media and learn from it. 
•       Generate More Engagement – Don’t just post and leave it, engage with the audience and make the site personable. 

 
Remember these three action items to better engage with your followers and build an even better and more rewarding online presence. 

My name is Jennifer Spottz, and I am a senior at Northwestern University studying Radio/Television/Film with a minor in Japanese and an Integrated Marketing Communications certificate. Upon graduation this June, I will be moving to LA where I will be working for a production company and focused on best utilizing their media to promote both current and future content. 
You can find me on Twitter and LinkedIn.