“People love to engage with social media and often use the platforms as a way to escape, to learn something new, to be inspired, to be entertained and to connect. If your organic content helps you do one of these things, you’re off to a great start. ”​

– Victoria Zelefsky, Forbes Councils Member​​

Navigating the labyrinth of social media marketing can be overwhelming, often leaving you with questions about platforms, posting frequency and shareable content.​

​In this second instalment of our three-part organic social media guide series, you’ll find out:​

• The importance of post timing, structure and consistency​
• How to turbocharge your organic social media strategy​
• How to measure the success of your organic social media​

Dive in as we unravel the intricacies of implementing organic social media and discover how our specialists can help you elevate your brand’s social media presence. ​

The differences between paid and organic social​

Organic social and paid social media achieve different goals for your business: ​

Utilising organic social as a marketing tool is great for cultivating a lasting online presence and engaging with a loyal community of followers over time. Although patience is key when it comes to organic social media, the rewards are well worth the time and effort. ​

With a clear understanding of organic social’s unique strengths, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to help your social channels thrive. ​

We covered the benefits of organic social media in the first instalment of our social media guide series, but how can you achieve these benefits? Read on to find out.​

Measuring success in organic social media ​

Success is measured differently in organic social media when compared to the targeted world of paid social. While paid social media aims to drive specific actions from your target audience (like buying a product or service), organic content paints a broader picture. It reveals the genuine impact your content has on your audience over time. ​

By measuring the success of your organic social media strategy, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of what’s working and what needs to be improved. This data-driven approach is your secret weapon for helping you effectively achieve your business goals. ​

There are some specific KPIs you can use to monitor the success of organic social media. Here are three examples:​

Post engagement​

This metric tallies up all the interactions your posts receive from your followers, including likes, shares and comments. ​

This metric is a direct reflection of the quality of your posts. High engagement shows that your content resonates with your audience and encourages them to interact with you. Plus, healthy engagement can lead to increased visibility, as social media platforms use algorithms to prioritise posts that spark user interactions. ​

Engagement rate​

This is the percentage of people who have interacted with your post compared to the total number of people who have seen it. ​

While engagement tells you how much your content is interacted with, the engagement rate delves deeper. It shows you how effective your content is at prompting interactions on a per-user basis. This helps you measure the quality of your engagement in relation to the size of your audience. A high engagement rate usually indicates relevant and compelling content.​

Encourage meaningful interactions with your posts to boost algorithmic favour. Platforms value content that generates likes, comments, and shares, as these actions signal relevance to the algorithm.​

​Follower growth ​

Growing your social media follower base is essential for expanding your reach and impact. ​

Follower growth measures the change in followers over a specific timeframe. More followers means that people are interested in what your business has to offer and are more likely to interact with your content. This, in turn, can help boost brand awareness and engagement. ​

The golden rules of post timing, structure and consistency

A well-crafted content schedule does more than keep your brand on your target audience’s radar; it also pinpoints the peak engagement periods for your business. Plus, it helps you and your business to remain proactive instead of reactive, making sure you’re prepared for holidays, promotions and new product launches. ​

There are three main factors that can make or break the success of your organic social media strategy: timing, consistency, and the structure of your content. Let’s dive a little deeper into each of these factors.​

Timing​

When it comes to organic social media, timing is everything. Imagine posting stellar content when your audience isn’t online, you’re less likely to get the engagement you desire. If you post during times when your audience is most active, you’re stacking the odds in your favour. It makes your content much more likely to be seen and shared, ultimately boosting your engagement levels. ​

When determining the best time to post, it’s essential to take into account the platform’s algorithm. These algorithms prioritise content that aligns with user activity patterns, making timing a vital aspect of organic social success.​

​The structure of your content​

Algorithms reward posts that resonate with your audience, so crafting content that aligns with their interests and needs is paramount.​

When you organise your content in a logical and user-friendly way, you make it a lot easier for your audience to consume and appreciate. This, in turn, makes them more likely to engage with your content on a consistent basis.​

Using clear and concise headlines, captivating visuals, and making sure your content is easy to read or watch all collectively help to make your content more engaging.​

​Consistency​

You know that old saying “out of sight, out of mind”? Well, the same thing applies to your organic social media efforts. Random, sporadic posting can mean your audience is less likely to see your posts and engage with them. ​

Consistency is key. It helps keep your business at the forefront of your target audience’s mind and it’s important for building a strong (and ever-growing) following.​

Turbocharge your social strategy with these top tips

Now that you’ve grasped the fundamentals, it’s time to journey a little further. ​

Here are three top tips to help you unlock the full potential of your organic social media channels, setting you on the right path to long-lasting success.​

​Tip #1 – Optimise your organic social media profiles​

First impressions matter, especially on social media. An optimised profile not only enhances your brand image but can also attract more followers to your page and increase engagement. ​

Whether it’s about your target audience or standing out among the competition, an optimised profile is your first step to social media success.​

Here are some tips for making your profile look top-notch:​

1. Choose a relevant username that’s easy to remember.​
2. Use a recognisable and memorable profile picture, such as your brand logo.​
3. Opt for a keyword-rich profile description that sounds natural and suitably reflects your brand tone.​
4. Include a trackable link back to your website to help increase site traffic and drive conversions.​

Tip #2 – Analyse your competition​

Why recreate the wheel when you can learn from the successes and failings of others?​

Analysing your competition isn’t about copying your competitors, it’s about finding ideas and inspiration that you can use to inform and inspire your own organic social media strategy.​

During your competitive analysis, try to focus on the most engaging content that is popular within your own social efforts and those of your competitors. Since you both have similar ideal buyer personas, it makes sense to start there. ​

Consider the questions below during your analysis of your competitors’ social media marketing efforts: ​

• What are your competitors talking about and do those topics have high audience engagement? ​
• Which marketing channels are your competitors using and are they successful? ​
• Are there any areas in your social strategy where you are outperforming your competitors? ​

Tip #3 – Choose the right channels​

The “one-size-fits-all” approach is a myth in organic social media. The channels you choose should depend on your target audience, your industry, the content you want to share and what you want to achieve overall. ​

Picking the right social media channels is a vital part of your social media strategy. It helps you: ​

• Connect with your target audience: If you’re not present on the platforms where your audience is based, you’re not going to be able to reach them. ​
• Engage with your audience: Once you’ve reached your target audience, you need to get their attention. This means creating captivating content that they’ll find interesting and engaging. The type of content you should use will vary depending on the platform and audience. ​
• Build genuine relationships: Social media is a great way to build strong connections with your audience. By engaging with them and providing valuable content, you can build trust and loyalty. But remember, certain platforms are better for building connections – again, it all depends on your audience. ​
• Drive traffic to your website: By sharing links to your website in your posts, you can encourage people to visit your site and learn more about your business – but this will only work on certain platforms.​

The bottom line is that the platforms you choose will heavily depend on your business, its goals, and your target audience. Having experienced social specialists, like our experts at Elixirr Digital, will help you choose the channels that will drive the best results for your business. ​

Key takeaways

Businesses are constantly seeking strategies that can help them grow their online presence and drive meaningful results. Organic social media can be a great tool to meet these goals. ​

Let’s recap the key takeaways of this guide:​

• Organic social media and paid social media achieve different goals for your business. Understanding the strengths of organic social media is key to knowing how it can support your brand and marketing efforts. ​
• Success of organic social media is measured differently from paid social; it shows a genuine impact on your audience over time. KPIs can help you measure your success and identify areas for improvement. ​
• Optimising your profile, analysing your competition and choosing the right channels are three ways you can unlock the full potential of your organic social media channels. ​
• In the era of algorithm-driven social media, mastering organic strategy is the key to reaching and engaging your target audience effectively. By adapting to the algorithms, you can optimise your content’s performance and achieve your digital marketing goals.

Master organic social with Elixirr Digital by your side​

Free yourself from the burdens of organic social media and let our experts take the reins. This will give you more time to focus on what really matters – growing your business.​
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With our organic social media services, you’ll get: ​

• A bespoke organic social media strategy​
• Expert guidance to help you achieve the best possible results​
• High-quality, well-designed and captivating social media content​
• Peace of mind knowing that your organic social media activity is in safe, experienced hands​

​It’s time to revolutionise your social media strategy ​

Speak to us today to harness the full power of our top-notch organic social media services. ​