How to Create a Social Strategy for Small Social

According to Emma Hudson, Editor at LinkedIn News, social media is getting smaller:

“Turned off by trolls and burnt out from the pressure of chasing ‘likes,’ a growing share of users will turn to smaller social media platforms and reconsider their relationship with the big networks in 2023.

Sites like Discord, Mastodon, Geneva, Substack and Patreon emphasise community building in private spaces. Many of the up-and-coming platforms, including BeReal and WeAre8, cater to users who don’t want to spend hours scrolling… In 12 months’ time, the social media landscape could look very different.”

Smaller social media sites can also include brands’ own self-hosted communities – think message boards, group learning platforms, and other niche spaces where people gather online.

So, what does this mean for content marketers? How can we adapt our strategies to stay ahead of the curve?

Here are a few thoughts:

1.) Focus on using content as a community builder. The reason users are moving to smaller, opt-in communities is because they want to have a customized experience. People want to be part of communities that affirm their values, feel safe, and that add value to their lives.

The goal is going to have to be less “stop the scroll” and more about creating a place for people to seek out habitually because it’s an important part of their lives.

For example: consider a coffee machine company that holds a home barista workshop online, through an app that includes a community forum tab. The app becomes part of a customer’s morning routine, as they watch the instructional videos and learn how to make their favorite coffee drinks. They start looking forward to seeing new coffee recipes other members share and post photos of on the app. The community becomes integrated with the customer’s life. This is just one example of how small social content marketing could look.

2.) Your company culture should reflect your customer’s values. The back and the front of your companies will, by default, have to become more integrated – and the only way that can be sustainable is if the values throughout the organization are truly aligned. If there’s a disconnect, your customers will look for a brand that better fits into the life they’re creating for themselves.

3.) Privacy matters. As more people become concerned about their online privacy, it’s important to reflect that when it comes to how you interact with your community, especially when it comes to user generated content (UGC). Be transparent about how you use data and UGC and respect your audience’s need for privacy.

4.) Experience is everything. In a world where people are bombarded with content, it’s more important than ever to create an amazing user experience. Think about how you can use design, language, and technology to integrate your content into your customers’ lives authentically.

It’s always exciting when the online landscape shifts. I look forward to a more intentional online experience for everyone and can’t wait to see the creative ways we as content marketers can adapt.

Have you started using any of the smaller social networking sites? What do you think about the way content marketing is changing?