Can you think of any brands that you actively follow on Facebook that only ever share promotional content? Probably not. This is because brands that only ever share promotional content on social media are boring.
The fact is, nobody wants to hang out with people who only talk about themselves – and this is true in marketing as well.
Which is where the 80/20 rule comes in…
What is the 80/20 rule in social media marketing?
The 80/20 rule is the principle that you should be mindful of how much promotional content you share with your social media audiences.
Yes, you want to sell your products…we all do! But that doesn’t mean that constantly banging on about it is the way to go.
Instead your focus should be:
- 80% fun, engaging, entertaining, and informational.
- 20% promotional.
In other words, 1 in 5 of your posts can be pushing a product or service and highlighting how awesome you guys are. However, as for the other 4 posts, they need to be fun and engaging and entirely user-focused.
Why is the 80/20 rule so important to follow?
Ultimately it all comes down to memorability. Your brand is not going to be memorable to your audience if you never share anything fun or informational.
After a while of being bombarded by your promotional posts, they’re going to unfollow you and ask Facebook to stop sending them related posts.
However, if the majority of the content you share is genuinely interesting, and provides high-value information that solves your audience’s problems, and makes people laugh and cry and engage – then you are going to be far more memorable – that’s the key to gaining more followers on Instagram and your other chosen socials.
Look at it this way: if you were to follow an SEO expert on the Gold Coast on Facebook, what would you expect to find? Lots of high-value posts with tips and tricks on how to improve your rankings on Google. That’s the dream right?
Now imagine you started following an ‘SEO consultant’ and every single one of their posts was promotional, talking about their services. How does that serve you? How does that bring any value to your day?
This is why the 80/20 rule is so critical!
How to make friends and influence people?
Want to know how to get people to like you? Don’t talk about yourself unless asked – and keep it brief.
Instead, talk about them! Ask them questions and engage in conversation about all of their likes and dislikes. They’ll remember you fondly if you do.
There is a science to getting people to like you and this can be applied to your brand and audience as well.
- Show an interest in them.
- Be a good listener.
- Ask them for advice.
Apply this to your social media marketing and watch as your influence grows!
Similarly, you should respond to as many comments and messages on social media as possible. This shows that you are social and engaged and actually care about what your audience has to say.
Conclusion: Make it all about your audience
The best way to look at it is: you should treat your social media accounts as being there to serve your audience, not you. It really is as simple as that.
Yes, share the occasional promotional post, but make the primary purpose of your social media to entertain, educate, and engage.
Do that and you’ll have no trouble converting those clicks into customers!
