What makes up the anatomy of a best performing post

userby Amy Rountree

Maybe* helps make social media work for any organisation. We believe that in order to drive business results from social media, you have to focus on driving engagement. We love getting under the skin of what makes audiences tick so we can help more businesses do the same. 

So with that in mind, we’re baking more performance data into Maybe* so you can spot your best performing posts and also those in your local town or city, and within a given sector. This makes it easy to spot what works and to also join the conversations that will reach the most people.

Not all engagement is equal

Engagement in social media terms is an interaction with your content, but not all engagements are equal. One way your audience can engage is by 'liking', sharing, commenting, replying or retweeting. This might be appropriate for some content, but how can you inspire a deeper level of engagement?

To define the “best” posts the Maybe* platform scores engagements on content based on the effort required for each engagement.

For example, if a post mildly engages me, I might 'like' it, which requires minimal effort from me. However if it really strikes a chord and I’m feeling inspired, then I am more willing to invest in it with a comment or a 'share'. By optimising your content for higher effort levels of engagement, you’ll learn more about your community and build a deeper level of connection with them. 

Equally when you engage with other people's content consider the level of engagement that you are investing.

Essential engagement ingredients

Engagement is a response to the conversation you have initiated with your post. Any response is an indication you’ve been heard - "congratulations, you’ve got my attention" - but exactly how much of my attention will really depend on whether what you’ve had to say interests or resonates with me. 

Relevance is the first crucial ingredient. Necessity and timing come next.

  • Are you solving a problem for me in some way? 
  • Is this something I need from you right now? 
  • Have you caught me at the right time? 
  • Am I bored and do I need entertainment? 
  • Do I have kids to juggle while trying to work?

Provide help

This independent shoe retailer created a shoe colouring and design competition to keep children entertained on behalf of stressed mums during lockdown. The organic engagement on this campaign was 227, nearly 4 times the businesses usual organic engagement rate.

Be emotional 

Tug on my heart-strings, make me laugh, stir my passions, remind me of someone or something or show me something I have to have.  The Everyman Theatre produced one of Cheltenham’s best performing posts over April by producing theatre-related jokes.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Everyman Theatre (@everymanchelt) on

Community and collaboration

Finally a dollop of community and collaboration. Ask me my opinion, invite me to tag friends or encourage me to join in an event I have to be a part of. Who wouldn’t want to join a host of other lipstick and liner lovers in a virtual Sunday Fun Day with Rihanna and her beauty line Fenty Beauty?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA (@fentybeauty) on

And remember, you might not like me when I’m angry but if it suits you don’t be scared to be provocative. Great social media content may be polarising and feedback is a gift. If the feedback on your post is negative, you’ll learn what your audience doesn't like.

No one likes a wind up merchant, a troll or click bait. So do make sure your content is sensitive to what’s going on in the world, and you shut down any cruel, offensive or damaging conversations among your following if the debate gets too heated.

Key takeaway

Best performing posts drive more than likes. They build an emotional connection that matters. Comments and shares invite more people into a conversation and increase reach and awareness of your message and brand. 

Take the time to really think about what works for your audience, and what will encourage them to respond to you. Our ambition is that by benchmarking engagement we’ll help you answer the questions  that means your content achieves its aims and delivers your business the results it needs.

Track your best posts, and learn from others using the Maybe* platform. 

Get started for free.

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