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The One Thing Brands Can Do to Grow on Social Media in 2023

In the year 2023, social media platforms will be using AI to monitor users' posts and filter out content that is not relevant or engaging enough—and brands can avoid being filtered by becoming more relevant. But what does that mean for brands?


To be relevant in the age of AI means being human. And this means more than just having a social media strategy and posting content regularly—it also means being authentic and empathetic towards your audience.


With so much noise on our feeds, algorithms working against us and the overwhelm of online marketing, it’s no wonder that many are feeling totally burned out when it comes to their social media.


So, what to do?



Want to ignite scalable growth and more followers on your social media channels? Then treat your social media less as a platform to boost brand awareness—and more like an intimate micro digital magazine for you ideal customer.


In his book, The Art of Social Media, author Guy Kawasaki talks about how social media should be an extension of your brand’s story. He states that social media shouldn’t be thought of as a “to do list” or something you need to fit in, but rather something that needs to be integrated into your daily life. This is especially true if you are trying to build a community around your brand and generate leads through social media channels.


It’s important to think of the social media platforms you use as micro digital magazines. Kawasaki goes on to explain that, “You want to create content in each of those social media channels that is relevant and interesting to a specific group of people.” This means creating content that is relevant and interesting for your customer base—not just any random person who follows you on Twitter!


So what does a digital magazine look like and contain?



In a nutshell, a digital magazine is content that reflects the values, interests and needs of a specific audience. The difference between social media and magazines is focus on quality over quantity.


It’s a mix of content that strategically addresses the needs, wants and desires of your ideal customers. It includes things like:


- Content that provides value to your followers (tips, hacks, how-to’s)

- Tools to help them with their business or personal lives.

- Fun and engaging posts for when they need some lighthearted fun in their day!


Here are some great example of a digital magazine.

  • TheSkimm is a daily email newsletter that delivers the news to women who want it in a fun and friendly way.

  • HER is a digital magazine for women entrepreneurs. It offers advice, inspiration and resources to help business owners build their brand.

  • Refinery29 is an online lifestyle platform targeted towards millennial women with interests in fashion, beauty, food, health & wellness.

But wait—what makes a blog different from a digital magazine?


Digital magazines tend to have more content than blogs, and they’re usually organized in categories or sections. You can expect longer articles with deeper dives on a variety of topics rather than just a few paragraphs of news like on a blog. Digital magazines also tend to have more images, videos and interactive elements than blogs do. But even though digital magazines are often thought of as being more visually appealing than blogs, don’t let this fool you into thinking that they aren’t valuable!


How to transform your social media channel into a micro digital magazine



To do this, you need to create a strategy for your social media channel. That means having a plan for content and how it will be shared, making sure to include all the elements of a digital magazine (images, videos and links), sharing high-quality content that will appeal to your ideal reader in each post and creating an editorial calendar so that you know what content is going out on which day and when it’s time to repeat some of it.


Here are some specific ideas and things to remember in getting started:

  • Make it entertaining, fun, and educational for your targeted audiences.

  • Mini-form articles with pic or graphic

  • Infographics and videos (to drive more traffic to your site)

  • Interviews with influencers in your industry

  • Product comparisons or reviews

  • Give them no-cost tools and resources to position you and your brand as an expert and source.

  • Give them content that they can use to educate themselves about you and your products/services, but more importantly give them content that will make their life easier or more enjoyable.

  • Make it easy for them to share your content with others in their network through social media sites like Facebook, Twitter etc.(Be sure to include a 'Share' button at the end of each blog post)

  • Informative content that helps them solve a problem or answer a question they may have.

  • Videos that build your brand story and create an emotional connection with your ideal customers.

  • Both Original and curated posts that are relevant and timely for your audience, including calls-to-action to take further action.


Conclusion


The goal here is to treat your social media channels like the ideal micro digital magazine for your ideal customers. And by doing so you will:

  • Stand out from other brands in their space because you're offering something different than everyone else (and you know how important being different is)

  • Get people talking about what you share with them

It's not about increasing your number of followers quickly; it takes time and patience. But when you get there, the payoff is worthwhile. By being consistent and providing value, you will build an audience that wants to hear from you. And when they do, they'll be more likely to take action on the things you share with them.

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