Why your feed isn't real time anymore
Why your feed isn’t real time anymore
In this blog, I wanted to break down a common misconception when it comes to your social feeds because it’s one of the top things I get asked about when it comes to content creation…. How can I plan my content in advance? How will I know what to post about in my feed that far in advance? If you’ve ever asked those questions or were curious, then keep reading because we’re going to completely change the way you think about your social media feed, because you’re probably making creating content for the feed wayyyyy harder than it needs to be. & here’s the truth bomb of today’s blog: Your feed doesn’t need to be in real time.
WHY IT’S NO LONGER REAL TIME
I know, it might sound a little crazy, but it’s true. Your feed doesn’t need to reflect the real time timeline of your business or your brand. Back in the day when the feed was in chronological order, it was expected and almost assumed, but you know the game changed when the algorithm rolled around, so much so, that people no longer expect the feed to be real time. When stories became a thing, they took over that “real time” content, because that’s what they were created for - to show you the last 24 hours. Since then, we’ve basically been programmed to expect stories to be where real time content is created and consumed.
Think about it, when was the last time you scrolled through your feed and thought, “Why is she sharing a picture that I know she took last year? Why is she talking about a beach trip she took last summer when it’s winter? Why is she sharing a podcast episode from last month?” Have you really had any thoughts like that recently while you were scrolling through your feed?
Most likely not. Because social media has evolved and the creators and designers behind it have done a damn good job at changing the UI and the workflows of the apps that we quickly adjust and adapt to changes, and that’s why we no longer expect the feed to be real time.
The funny thing is, though, we subconsciously understand that in the back of our mind as a social media user, but as the content creator, we literally freak out at not posting “relevant” or “realtime” content. We haven’t made the connection that this user experience change affects not only the content we consume but the content we create! So the fear of your content not being real time can no longer be used as an excuse to hide from social media, and as scary as that sounds, I promise, it’s the best thing ever for you!
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD
So if it doesn’t need to be in real time, what should it be? Well, there’s a lot of different ways you can use your feed, and it should be 100% based on your social media content strategy. If you have no clue what I’m talking about there, make sure you go back and listen to episode 9 where I break that all down for you, but let’s talk in more general terms. Here are some ways you can use your feed instead of posting real time content.
1. You can educate your audience. I don’t care whether you’re a photographer, boutique owner, business coach, social media manager, or hairstylist. There is something that your audience (and dream clients) want to learn from you. Whether it’s how to style a t-shirt from day to night, how to easily create the perfect messy bun (trust me, that’s an art in and of itself that i have yet to master), or how to save time in their business - there is something your people want to learn from you surrounding your expertise. So share it with them! Going down this route of education does 2 important things.
One, it allows you to nurture the hell out of your audience, warming them up to what it is you have to offer, showing up top of mind when they think about your industry, and providing value that helps build trust between the two of you.
Second, it establishes your authority. You are becoming known for your specific area of expertise in their eyes because you are the one showing up and educating them. This value-added content and authority go a LONG long way in converting your audience into paying customers. This is the long game, the marathon, not the sprint and it pays out long term. So get creative with your content. It doesn’t have to be the same long, drawn out educational posts all the time. We don’t want to sound like a textbook, we want to provide value and still be entertaining and on brand. So share some demos or tutorials. Share a quote that leads into your piece of education. Share some quick tips and tricks you’ve learned along the way. It can be light hearted and fun, I promise, and the most important part is that you’re sharing content that helps your followers
2. Build a relationship with your audience. It’s time to step out from behind the camera or the social profile and get a little vulnerable. How personal you get is up to you, but this is where we share more about us so our followers get to know us. Because knowing us is the first step to buying from us. They have to go through the entire Know, Like, Trust process before they buy, and that includes seeing our content and our offers almost 12 times now (it used to be 7). So share some personal stuff. It can be as lighthearted as 3 fun facts about you or it can be as deep as the spiritual journey you’re going on that’s impacting your business & changing your life. The level of vulnerability is up to you, but what’s important is actually SHOWING up and letting your audience connect & relate to you.
3. Create content with the purpose of engagement. We all know that in the time of the algorithm, we need engagement to survive, and adding in some engagement-driven content to your feed is always a good idea. Ask them questions that will get them sharing their opinions because we as humans loveeee to share our opinions. We often do it without being asked (i mean, have you looked at facebook lately? ) Here’s the secret, though, make sure your questions or engagement-driven content is NOT about your business. Yes, you heard that right. For the best results, keep this content unrelated to business. Why?
Because people will feel safer to engage! Think about it, you’re scrolling through instagram and you see a business coach’s post asking for your opinion on her new coaching program: should it be in a facebook group or a zoom call. Are you going to share your opinion in a comment on her post? No. Why? Because whether you realize it or not, in the back of your mind, you think if you leave a comment that it’s an open invitation for the business coach to sell to you, since she’s asking about her business. So you just keep on scrolling because you don’t want to be sold to. Then you scroll to the next post, where it’s another business coach you’ve been following for a while, and she is asking for your recommendation on a seasonal coffee creamer to try next. Are you gonna comment? OH HELL YES. You just bought a new snickerdoodle chai flavored coffee creamer that tastes like Christmas in a cup and she NEEDS to try it because you think its freaking amazing. See the difference there? You weren’t afraid of being sold to. You felt like you were genuinely helping another person out while sharing your opinion of the best new flavor of coffee creamer since sliced bread. THAT’s why we keep this unrelated to business. Because that’s what’s going to get us that engagement, which will in the end get our business-related content seen by more of our followers when the time is right, which is a win for all of us!
So which of those 3 ways should you be using the feed? Education & value, personal relationship building, or engagement-driven content? My answer - ALL 3! It’s a perfect mix of content that provides value to establish your authority & build trust while driving engagement! And the beautiful thing is that NONE of it has to be in real time, so you are finally free to sit down and plan an entire month of content at once, knowing that it can be posted whenever you damn-well please.
& that’s how you do social media without being real time! Focus on the value you’re providing, connecting with your followers, building a relationship, establishing your authority, and creating that content to drive engagement!
Now it’s your turn. Make sure you take some time today to take a look at your feed content to see how you can make it work for YOU & If you’re still confused on how this can work for your business or you just need to talk to a marketing strategist & figure out the best way to grow YOUR specific business online, then let's do that on a free strategy call!
In 45 minutes, we will
✅ evaluate what's not working with your current marketing strategy,
✅ uncover the perfect strategies for you based on YOUR specific ideal customer, brand, personality, and lifestyle....
✅ PLUS give you a list of ways to jumpstart your journey with tools, educational resources, & coaching!
Ready to see how big your business can really grow? Book your free strategy call here>> [ iamcourtneyjo.com/bookfreecall ]
about the blogger
Hey babe! I’m Courtney Jo! I’m a content creator who coaches babes in biz on how to create their dream life of freedom through content creation, business, and mindset! I’m also an award winning, nationally recognized portrait photographer and I sling some amazing natural hair and skin care products on the side that has changed my confidence and life!w
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I’m Courtney Jo! A business coach, podcaster, photographer and shampoo slinger, with a goal to help boss babes create their dream life through content creation & marketing!
xoxo, Courtney Jo
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