“Social media is like a networking group online and your involvement is much like attending a cocktail party.
You want to engage others and create conversation, share fun stories and information, and sometimes talk seriously and promote yourself.“
[Marketing Tip] What is the 80-20 Rule in Social Media?
Engaging your social media audience can be challenging. I know you have heard of the 80/20 rule in business, also called The Pareto Principle, that is that 80% of the outcome is from 20% of the effort. Or another way of putting it is, 80% of your business comes from 20% of your clients. A great principle and one that is amazingly accurate. This rule takes on a new twist with social media marketing. The 80/20 rule for social media simply means that 80% of your content should be tailored to your audience by providing them with value, while the remaining 20% can be used to promote your own brand.
Incorporating the 80/20 rule into your social media marketing strategy can increase engagement. Ultimately, the level of engagement boils down to the type of content you’re providing. Here are a few ways that you can apply the 80/20 rule to your social strategy:
80% Valuable Content
20% Promotional Content
Social media is like a networking group online and your involvement is much like attending a cocktail party. You want to engage others and create conversation, share fun stories and information, and sometimes talk seriously and promote yourself. If you’re using social media for your business, then of course it’s going to be necessary from time to time for you to talk about your services and make offers by creating blatantly promotional and informative posts. That’s okay, but don’t get caught up in just that, nothing is more boring than a Facebook business page that only posts about their business.
I work with a lot of clients to help them create and implement their social media strategies, and I see a consistent pattern with them all. When we begin to work on developing their social media program, I find that the client is usually very heavy on one side or the other – they are either only posting and sharing memes, photos, games, etc., or they are far too promotional. So take this to heart when planning your social media strategy. Follow the 80/20 rule and make a practice of posting only two of every ten posts about your business services, make the other eight posts fun, informational, educational, conversational and entertaining, and make every post count.
This month, make it a priority to reevaluate your social media strategy and determine if you’re utilizing the 80/20 rule. If not, make the appropriate content adjustments and see if your engagement increases.
Happy marketing!