Disclosure: I only recommend products/services I would use myself and feel might benefit you as well. This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
If you’re a creator of any kind at any level, it’s easy to get stuck on metrics such as likes, comments, and shares. Heck… it’s easy to get stuck on those metrics as a typical, non-creator social media user.
But content posted on social media for businesses is so much more than those metrics or going viral. The priority for these content pieces is not to go viral. It’s not to get the highest metrics, and it’s not to “get rich quick” off of social media.
The success of content for a business is so much more nuanced than that. Let’s see why.
Metric madness
In the world of copywriting and social media, metrics are everywhere. And don’t get me wrong, the metrics (likes, shares, conversion, clicks, etc.) have their place. When used productively, the metrics help lead to constructive improvements. When used to define the worth of the piece or the person producing the piece, metrics can be incredibly destructive.
While metrics for emails, sales funnels, and other direct response tools are actually pretty informative, I feel that social media metrics can be incredibly finicky. How do you make the algorithms happy? What’s going on in the black box behind the scenes that may impact reach? When’s the perfect time to hit a trending audio? Is seven to nine seconds what will get the most views?
As you can see, the list goes on and on…
Authenticity over virality
Because of the finicky, non-transparent nature of what goes on behind the scenes in social media and because of the lack of consistency with who may see the content outside of your followers, I always choose authenticity over virality.
Now that doesn’t mean that I don’t use trending audios and try to fit some of the reels into the seven to nine second time frame. I use hashtags. I choose topics. I do everything I can to expand reach when possible.
But sometimes for businesses, you just need to produce some content with original audio that is longer. This is what I mean when I say I will choose authenticity over virality if needed.
And I’ve actually found that some of the most successful content that I’ve helped create for clients has been original audio that’s almost a minute long. What do I mean by success?
I feel success is subjective, so in my view, success is high engagement from clients, former clients, or prospective clients. Many times when I post pieces specific to the business such as their team or their facilities, there will be loads of clients that will start commenting on how amazing the business or the people in the business are. Clients will often share the videos as well to help spread the word.
In my eyes, that is pure gold compared to running up the views. Engagement proving positive experiences provides social proof that others are very enthusiastic about the business and that it comes highly recommended, which is invaluable marketing. It reminds customers why they love the business so much and provides an organic source of “hype” for prospective customers. In the meantime, it’s also a morale boost for the team members of the business to see that they’re making a difference to others.
Do you need to pick one over the other?
No, you generally don’t.
Any pieces that I create that are aimed at making the algorithm happy and using trending audio are still authentic to the brand. Authenticity is the highest priority for me while aiming to increase reach. Balance is important because the content created with the algorithm and trends in mind will help to reach new social media users who may have not otherwise come across your account.
My point is that from a business perspective, not every piece of content needs to be aimed at going viral. In fact, there absolutely should be pieces that are business-specific that ignore the algorithm.
Brand development is a long-term play that will benefit the business and its customers. It helps the business to convey its authentic messages and story while helping customers to understand the type of value, service, and transformation they can consistently expect.
Importance of existing customer base
Staying authentic rather than trying to go viral as a business helps you to nurture your existing customer base without getting caught up in the hoopla of trying to reach thousands of new people who may or may not stick around.
According to Harvard Business Review, it is five to 25 times more expensive to acquire new customers rather than to keep existing ones.1 So why not prioritize authenticity to nurture your existing and ideal customers over going viral to ramp up your metrics?
This stance will differ depending on the goals of the business or the creator, but for the services I offer, I’m focused on helping my clients build their brand while staying true to themselves, allowing them to play the long game and maintain the awesome foundations they’ve worked so hard to put in place or begin putting in place.
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1 Harvard Business Review, “The Value of Keeping the Right Customers,” The Value of Keeping the Right Customers (hbr.org)
Disclosure: I only recommend products/services I would use myself and feel might benefit you as well. This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.Disclaimer: This blog should not be construed as providing, or intending to provide professional financial, legal, psychological, or other professional advice. It is simply meant to share my experiences with those who may find them relatable and helpful.