How to Stay Relevant on Social Media

How we use social media is shifting. 

In a digital age of consumerism and generative AI, social media has become flooded with generic messaging, repetitive advertisements, and AI-generated content. What was once created as a tool for staying connected has instead turned into an oversaturated landscape that lacks the same essential human connection it was once created for. 

I hear the question often: Why is our social media underperforming? 

My answer is this: On social media platforms, where every brand is vying for an extra few seconds out of a scroll, what makes your brand any different? 

Not sure of the answer? Here are a few content strategies to differentiate your brand and stay relevant in the ever-changing world of social media. 

Prioritize Quality Over Quantity

While it may seem like pushing out high quantities of content is necessary to keep up with the fast pace of social media, overposting may hinder you from creating the kind of thoughtful and engaging content that actually sticks out. 

Rather than focusing on creating as much content as possible, find a posting cadence that allows you the time to craft intentional content that aligns with your brand identity. While drafting, consider your company’s current goals and initiatives to ensure content is strategically aligned and avoid promoting information that may be generic or irrelevant. 

Another vital component of creating quality content is understanding both your brand identity and your target audience. Review content to ensure that the voice and messaging are consistent not only with your brand, but also the industry or individuals you’re trying to reach. For example, if you’re targeting industry professionals, your tone and language may be more complex and professional, whereas content targeting everyday consumers may benefit from a more casual and conversational tone. 

Content with real value to users comes from a thorough understanding of both your brand and your audience, not from mass-generated, surface-level posts. 

Do: 

• Stay up to date with company targets and initiatives
• Research your industry and audience 

Don’t: 

• Post for the sake of posting
• Mass produce generic posts

Encourage Human Connection 

Another important factor to consider when creating social content is the value of being people-oriented. When the majority of feeds have become cluttered with AI-generated posts and thinly-veiled advertisements, it’s easy to forget the original purpose of social media: connection. 

While promoting your brand through informational posts is important, it shouldn’t be the only content you publish. Instead, consider offering followers a closer look into who your brand really is: team spotlights, employee achievements, company events. By humanizing your social media with the real faces behind your account, followers are more likely to feel connected to and engage with your content, rather than scroll away. 

Additionally, utilizing interactive content can foster connection between your brand and audience. Features like polls, question boxes, and comment prompts encourage your followers to actively engage with your content rather than quickly scroll past. Not only does this increase engagement, it also empowers your audience to feel heard and involved with your brand’s online presence.

Finally, avoid using AI as your primary social strategy as it can dehumanize your account and create distrust among your followers. While it can be a helpful tool for brainstorming and editing, many social media users are less likely to trust content if they know it’s AI-generated. In a feed overflowing with AI, content that’s authentic and human is far more likely to stand out. 

Do: 

• Stayed informed of team and company achievements 
• Utilize interactive features

Don’t: 

• Use AI as a social media strategy
• Post only promotional content 

Choose Trends That Align with Your Brand 

In the revolving door of social media trends, it may feel like you need to partake in every one to stay relevant. While participating in trends can be an important part of building an online presence, you should focus only on those that truly align with your brand and values. 

Joining in on the latest popular trend without considering how it’s relevant to you can make your content feel disjointed and your participation come off as inauthentic. Instead, ask yourself these questions: How does this contribute to our purpose? and Will this content still be relevant in a month? Knowing how to differentiate between what’s popular and what’s appropriate can be the key factor in whether or not someone scrolls. 

This rule of thumb can also be applied to holidays. Identifying what holidays are important to your brand and audience enables you to create more genuine content as opposed to surface-level posts that don’t relate to your mission or values. 

Do: 

• Stay current with social media trends
• Consider what’s aligned with your brand 

Don’t: 

• Hop on every trend for the sake of content
• Post repetitive content for every holiday 

Experiment With New Content 

Perhaps the most important advice to consider when trying to stay relevant on social media is to not be afraid of experimenting. Testing new strategies with purpose can help you evolve your content without having to guess what works. 

Experimenting with captions, graphics, and content styles, such as images versus short-form video, can help you figure out what kind of content users are most likely to engage with as you continue expanding your follower base. Remember to use analytics and reporting to quantify your experiments and identify what works best. 

Do: 

• Embrace experimentation
• Use analytics to identify successes and failures 

Don’t: 

• Try new things if they aren’t aligned with your brand
• Experiment with multiple variables at once

Standing Out Starts with Strategy 

Staying relevant in the noisy landscape of social media requires intention, consistency, and experimentation. Crafting a thoughtful strategy that considers both your brand and audience can help your content feel authentic and grounded in a sea of surface-level advertisements and AI-generated posts. 

If you’re ready to stand out, Waypost can help you maximize the effectiveness of your social media management. Call us at (864) 288-6162 or contact us online to request a consultation.