The most common challenge marketers face today is catching viewers’ attention. With brands striving to create a strong social media presence, it’s imperative that marketers do something different to stand out from the rest. If you are wondering what is this “something different,” then the answer is quite simple. You have to create good quality content for your social media channels. But social media content is certainly more than a few snapshots or articles put together.

Here are a few numbers that highlight the importance of social media in today’s digital world:

• The number of users of social media worldwide is expected to reach 2.95 billion by 2020.¹
• North America has recorded the highest penetration of social media networks, meaning about 60% of the American population has at least one account on social media.²
• Facebook is the largest social network, surpassing 2 billion monthly active users.³

Given these numbers, brands simply cannot afford to underestimate the importance of social media content strategy in today’s highly “social” world.

Social media is all about engagement

First and foremost, the word “social” in social media implies a community where interaction drives relationships. But the best part of social media is its ability to measure your interactions with people and the results thereof. How? It’s measured with metrics such as likes, shares, engagement, followers, retweets, reactions and so on. These metrics signify a brand’s success or failure on social media.

With billions of interactions taking place on social media every day, content that interacts effectively and conveys the right message to the audience drives the success of social media campaigns. Good quality content helps a brand to ace the major social media metrics and create greater brand awareness and recognition, which influences a brand’s revenue figures significantly. Done correctly, a great content plan will certainly make your brand “King Social.”

But the role of content doesn’t end after the first interaction. Its role is to retain an existing follower base and convert new leads into actual customers. For example, brands are seen to do well by mixing in content showcasing lucrative deals with a “call-to-action” for the audience. The more effective the content is, the more people it will attract to the business. This interest drives potential users to your website to make a purchase, thus pushing your brand’s conversion rates up.

Content is also essential to create a brand’s social media identity. Sharing content that perfectly aligns with a brand’s core values such as videos, pictures, case studies and contests creates a positive impression. This works at a subconscious level and has the potential to turn consumers in favor of brands. Creating a good impression on social media can help brands win the loyalty and trust of the audience. It is, therefore, important that brands focus on content in order to thrive in a highly competitive social media environment.

1. Source: Statista
2. Source: Statista
3. Source: Facebook Newsroom; Statista