Ian Doescher
Ian Doescher is the director of nonprofit marketing at Pivot Group, a marketing agency in Portland, Oregon. He can be reached at ian@askpivot.com.
When it comes to social media, customers expect to hear from the brands they love regularly. That means you need to post multiple times a week — maybe even every day!
Maintaining a good social media page — whether on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, wherever — is often a lot of fun, but let’s be honest.
Sometimes it’s a real challenge, too.
My own moments of drudgery arrive when I’m out of ideas but need to post something anyway. I used to agonize at my writer’s block and stare at the screen until an idea mercifully showed up — or else I would just give up for the day.
In time, I’ve developed strategies for creating social media content even when I’m out of ideas. This month, I’m sharing some simple options for when you can’t think of something on your own. Here are my six go-to strategies:
1. Share industry news. Visit your favorite websites for industry news or search out the latest news tangentially related to the nursery industry. Post links to the articles you find on your social media page. Along with the link, provide your own commentary or thoughts about the article. If you do this enough, your social media followers will start looking to you as a resource for the latest information and come back to your page for more.
2. Look at the calendar. Is there a holiday or another well-known event coming up that you can mention, or offer some recipes for, or just wish people a happy [fill-in-the-blank]? The more you can connect events to your business, the better — whether it’s done seriously or playfully. “Don’t forget that this Friday is Valentine’s Day! Why send flowers when you can give perennials? They don’t say ‘I love you for now,’ they say ‘I love you FOREVER.’”
3. Start a conversation. Ask a question about something most people have an opinion about. It can be related to your business, but it doesn’t have to be. One of our B2B clients told me once that the Facebook post he got the most comments on, ever, was when he posted, “Who is your favorite Muppet and why?” Ask about anything — people’s favorite gardening tips, their preferences about types of plants, their plans for the weekend, their favorite 1970s TV show. People will respond and have fun with your post.
4. Talk culture. Is the biggest blockbuster of the year opening in theaters today? Is the Rose Bowl about to happen? Is there a meme sweeping the internet (like Yanni vs. Laurel, which I think we can all agree was Yanni)? Get in on the fun and share your own perspective on what’s happening. These are moments just about everyone is aware of, talking about, and probably interested in. Avoid hot button social issues and political topics, but otherwise the sky’s the limit.
5. Find something interesting to say. When in doubt, Google something like “weird facts about trees,” or find a Wikipedia article for the current date (e.g., September 4) to see what historical events happened that day, or visit BrainyQuote.com to find an interesting quote related to whatever topic or a person you want. The odds are good that if you find it interesting, your customers will, too. There’s no end to the information you can find online, much of it fascinating.
6. Find something interesting to look at. A Google image search will find all kinds of beautiful, interesting, weird, scary, awful, wonderful, amazing pictures. Maybe you have “Tree Tuesday” every week and post a picture of an awesome tree you found online. (Credit the site or the photographer!) Or, as your personality and your customers’ personalities allow, find memes that people will laugh at, particularly if they have to do with your business.
Social media can be a slog, but it doesn’t have to be. Maintaining a compelling, interesting feed requires diligence and creativity. When you’re out of ideas, don’t despair. Use these tips and you’ll seem like a pro. Good luck, and happy posting!
