For a company like ours that thrives on social media, you’d think the last thing we’d tell you is to not worry about how much content you are posting on your social media platforms.

And, for the most part, that’s true. As John pointed out in his post on old media versus new media, in most cases, the quantity of content on social media does play a large part in the success of business.

There, of course, is a catch. You know that old adage that “any press is good press”? Well, that just doesn’t cut in the world of social media.

The reality is, if you are a business, you can’t just post whatever you please and hope for the best. There is a certainly such a thing as a poor social media presence, and if you want to avoid it, you need to keep an eye on your quality control.

Take, for example, a teen that posts a Facebook status along the lines of “I could really go for an ice cream sundae right now.” The post isn’t really out of the ordinary, and is probably expected from the Facebook profile of a teenager or any normal user. Swap that teen out with a Law firm or Doctor’s office and you’ll more than likely get a few odd glances at the status.

In short, you need to make sure that what you post counts. Rules for corporate social media are very different than rules for individual profiles, a distinction that’s often missed by newcomers to social media. Sure, you might be able to be more casual about your posts on social media, but there still needs to be some sort of substance that is relatable or unique to your brand and business.

Every social media platform has its own set of nuances. Even so, here are some things you should keep in mind when it comes to posting meaningful content on any network:

• Formulate a strategy: Who is your target audience? What social media platform do they frequent? Figuring out a strategy should be your first priority–if you don’t have one, the chances of you succeeding are greatly reduced.
• Create original content: Your posts need to distinguish you from the crowd. There may be plenty of businesses out there like yours, so what makes your company better? Establish yourself as leader in your industry by focusing on what your company possesses that your audience and potential customers might want or need.
• Always keep the end goal in mind: Don’t forget the purpose of why you’re posting. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or recruit new employees, your goal(s) always need to be at the forefront of why you are posting.

As instantaneous and fleeting as social media is, we can afford to get by without making every single post perfect. But that doesn’t mean we should post without rhyme or reason.

Anybody can take to social media and post what they’re thinking. It’s how you go about it that makes all the difference.

Reprinted by permission.

Image credit: CC by Social Media Contractors