When someone talks about the role of “focus” in social media, there are a number of meanings that might come to mind. Are they talking about the effect social media has on attention spans? Is it a reference to how disjointed social media accounts can seem? Could they be referring to how much attention social media gets in our current world? It could be any of these options and more! When it comes to social media, “focus” is a word that wears many hats. Read on for the three key definitions of the word (courtesy of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary) and how those definitions relate to social media.
1. Focus: a center of activity, attraction or attention
Social media seems to be at the center of everything right now. It’s the glue that keeps a lot of relationships intact. It's also at the root of many major news stories, with countless congressional hearings about it, heated debates and more. No matter where you go, you can’t escape social media. So, what does that mean for your business? It means you have to embrace social media. People have certain expectations when looking for a trustworthy business, and one of those is an active social media presence. Even if it’s just a Facebook page that you post to twice a month, having a page that’s live, active and linked to your website is a great start.
2. Focus: directed attention
Realistically, people will only follow a social media page if they feel like they’re getting something out of it. A business is different from an old friend that someone wants to keep in touch with. That’s why you need to develop a purpose for your social media accounts – a focus. Don't spend too much time promoting products or services; instead, give your audience a reason to keep coming back. Be an educational outlet, an informational source or a help center. No matter what, pick a direction and stick with it. When you give your audience a reason to follow your account, you’re more likely to get their attention and keep their focus.
3. Focus: a state or condition permitting clear perception or understanding
Social media has had a significant impact on attention spans. The average attention span of someone from Generation Z is 7 seconds. Your content has to be engaging and inviting, and it has to get the point across fast. When you write a social media post, don’t ask yourself if the post meets a business objective – think about whether you would read it if it came across your feed. If a post is too wordy, too cluttered or just too boring, make changes. What words can you cut? Can you emphasize the main point better? How can you reformat it? The way you post should be constantly evolving, guided by the reaction you get to your posts. If you notice that engagement is down, find a new way to grab people’s attention. Work on creating eye-catching, engaging and concise content.
So, what’s the takeaway? The focus is to focus on your focus. Nothing complicated about that at all! A better way to say it is this: You know where people are looking; now you have to put in the time and effort to get them to look at your posts. If you don’t have the resources to do that, reach out to us! Our Social Media Posting Program is here to help make sure your social media accounts have clear goals and grab attention. You can read more about what we offer at home.iwdigitalspace.com. Good luck, and remember to focus, focus, focus!