For many businesses we speak with social media platforms like Twitter has already made a bad name for itself. So much so, that often the first path of resistance to joining this or for that matter any of the other social networks is generally something along the lines of, “All people do is talk about what they had for lunch so why should I be part of that?” If you couple this with the facts that lots of people use social media to post either very literal updates “Its very busy driving to work” or they just look to talk – me me me me me – with little success.
So what is the right way? Well sharing your own news and showing your human side are important parts of using social media but as with most aspects it’s important to strive for balance. This balance is what we call the rule of thirds and by putting this into practice then your social media can be a far more engaging and more satisfying experience. So here is how the basic formula behind the rule of thirds works:
First Third
For this first third post about you and/or your brand, and this should be relatively easy, as you know your business better than anyone. So make sure that this third covers everything from sharing your own blog posts and news updates, to posting updates about you and your company and peoples achievements within your company.
Second Third
This third is often the most difficult as you need to update about your areas of expertise but from an outside source, so by this we mean maybe shows you’ve attended or where you’ve been quoted on other websites or publications. You can also add into this news about your industry or company from another publication, blog posts from other bloggers about things that you find interesting, or websites that interest you – it is simply a matter of showcasing your knowledge on the things about which you are passionate.
Third Third
This final third is where you can be yourself and engage, ask questions, answer questions, retweet or repost interesting things people in your network have shared and that interest you,so be that location related or even sport related this is what makes social media SOCIAL and its up to you to take part!
So as a final point dont think about mundane stuff to post, think about what interests you and what grabs your attention and then how you will update this online, so dont be afraid to ask a question – ‘any good lunch recommendations for Exeter’ being a case in point, as apposed to a picture of your sandwich on Cathedral green.
And finally the sales bit, if you need help with your social media or just need to clarify the tweets from the status updates then why not contact our team we’d be delighted to help,either callus on 01392 241653 or contact us through the website here.
[…] especially if you stick to content that is relevant to your own company. You should read out post Social Media and the rule of Two Thirds for more helpful advice on getting this […]