Publishers have been active on social media platforms recently, this is because of the increasing digital footprint globally. The Internet is quickly becoming widespread and social media platforms are the new hubs. Although TikTok is the only recent new player in this field, the engagement levels are high across most of these channels. There’s a niche for all kinds of people and organizations can really benefit from this. Social media is becoming the platform where brands and consumers talk/interact. This is where offers are disclosed, feedback is thrown around and also where traffic comes from. This is also because people have shifted from websites to social media apps to consume their daily news.
Publishers of all sizes can start leveraging the impact of social media. Having actionable insight for each specific platform can help come up with strategies that yield results.
Instagram is undoubtedly one of the most popular platforms out there. What started out as a picture only platform has quickly become a visual experience that can hold users in for hours together. As a publisher, you can use Instagram to spread your content by keeping a visual as the lead.
Instagram has the highest growth rate - it’s safe to bet on it. Many publishers like Brut, Vice, The economist have witnessed gains in their following and engagement.
As a content creator, you can leverage Instagram’s stories, reels, video or photo gallery features to get the attention of your readers. It’s important to curate your content for your intended audience. On Instagram, people are keen to watch behind the scenes of reporting, reels on local events, informative posts that have bite sized text etc. With the right tags you can land yourself in the right feeds and gain new followers. Use the sharabilty and easy user interface of the platform to gain more readers. Remember to maintain a distinctive Instagram profile where your posts stand out from the rest. It’s also important to guide your followers to your website.
Youtube is becoming the google of video content. It’s the single destination for all things video and “shorts.” It’s a platform where there’s loads of information and is responsible for 37% of all web traffic. It has a diverse demographic and has content on almost everything.
As a publisher it’s difficult to not see the perks of the platform. Starting a YouTube channel would mean creating videos for your audiences - this could be completely AI videos that break down data or field reporting videos. The Guardian, Brut, NDTV and other legacy publishers have already left their print on the platform. The Guardian has over a million subscribers and is actively focusing on creating content for the platform. Unlike Instagram, people on Youtube are more tolerant to videos that exceed the 1 minute threshold. This is where long form video content can thrive.
It’s also where people seek explanations, follow ups, footage etc. You can also use YouTube player on your own site which would help control ad sales as well.
Twitter has always been on a tightrope when it comes to news. And rightly so, it’s an extremely vocal platform where there are different radical conversations springing up every minute from across the world. Although many countries have tried to set more restrictions on the platform, its relevance only dwindles. The charm remains in twitter threads and trending hashtags.
Publishers can leverage Twitter for the sheer excitement of its users. People are ready to tweet and they will retweet with just the right number of words. The only tricky bit is the word limit. It’s important to use Twitter to tweet but retweets could be more beneficial for publishers. Engaging in conversations where content creators could add value would bring positive light to the brand. This is also easier for entertainment platforms. Keeping following the trending hashtags could also help you understand what the people are talking about and what they want to hear - always an added benefit.
Reddit is a unique platform as well. It is a good place for publishers to build a connection with their subscribers and audience by having direct conversation threads with them. It is a great place to have conversations and publishers can interact with their audience without having to post anything in particular. Many brands simply rely on Reddit replies to engage. The Washington Post does a good job of this.
Publishers can participate in conversations where they may have subject experts on board. This could start interesting conversations, stories and also help understand audiences on a deeper level. It’s a great source for content generation and an even better one for user generated content. Authentic conversations can often result in meaningful conversions.
TikTok is relatively new but effective as ever. It is extremely engaging and no, you don’t have to upload dance videos here. The app saw a billion users the same year it was launched - clearly, we loved it. Users are said to spend over an hour everyday on the platform. Publishers like the Teen Vogue had been using this platform to connect with its younger audience.
Publishers can leverage this platform for unconventional engagement. Show the audience the bloopers, the testimonials, the “look in the day of a journalist” videos. This is a platform where people are ready to engage. The key reminder would be the demographic - you’re speaking to a young crowd who will soon become your potential subscribers. You want to make sure they’re familiar with your content and brand name. What’s also intriguing is that on TikTok audiences are more keen to participate - so give them something they can interact with!
Social media is a world where brands and audiences can come together to have meaningful conversations. You can experiment with strategies and have a forgiving audience. Don’t let your content get rusty on the web, push it through social media. It’s important to look into each platform and celebrate content in different ways to enjoy the maximum benefit out of it. The simple mantra for acing social media engagement is - be present.