GMD’s organic social team is no stranger to LaterCon. In fact, we look forward to it every year! The annual social media and digital marketing conference (which was held virtually this year) is a great place to learn more about current trends and insights from the big players in the mediums. A few members of our team attended and have outlined their major takeaways below.
Lara’s Findings
The Best Time to Post on Instagram and Why It Matters
Timing is everything, so when is the best time to post?
- Ideal time to post is often between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., and the best days are typically Saturday and Sunday
- Posts shared on Sunday morning get the highest engagement, generally speaking!
- By posting earlier, you’re more likely to catch everyone’s first scroll (morning commute, first coffee, etc.). There’s less competition earlier in the day, which can keep your business top of mind.
- Current times for the least amount of engagement tend to be Wednesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Optimal posting times vary by industry, audience and platform, so always remember to check analytics and insights when planning upcoming content for your best posting times.
How often should I publish feed posts?
- Short answer: It varies across industries. Long answer: the general rule is that more posts can equal a higher overall reach (which is how many unique users see your content).
- Tip: Use a variety of features to engage with your audience and share your story
By efficiently planning your month to include a variety of content (including single posts, carousels, user-generated content and branded hashtag), you’ll keep your audience interested and engaged!
Rachel’s Findings
The Importance of Analytics – Beyond Likes and Comments
Leverage insights to inform content:
- Create content that helps solve problems (FAQs, inquiries, etc. What are people asking)
- These insights will inform video content—it will stay relevant and be utilized again
- Organic social needs to prioritize SEO; social media is just as important as your website
- Social media acts as a landing page; it is the new dot-com
- Social media is leading the charge in search engines
- Track performance by content format
- Not all content is created equal and should not be treated the same
- Video is king, but static and carousel are not going away
- Weigh static images vs static images, carousel vs carousel, etc.
Social media has more content output than any other digital marketing channel. It pays to invest in strategy.
Andrea’s Findings
How to Create Scroll-Stopping Videos for Any Platform
Why video content is queen?
- The human attention span is 8 seconds, according to Microsoft research
- On average, people spend 1.7 seconds with a piece of content on their phone
- Make sure you’re attracting your audiences visually
Adaptability is key.
- Stay on top of new features and new platforms
- Research new social platforms to determine if they’re a good fit for your brand
- Adapt to new trends
- Use TikTok to find inspiration for new trends
Dynamic content
- Before making video content, identify your key messaging
- Make sure you’re posting the optimal video length for each social platform
- Instagram Feed: Less than 30 seconds
- IGTV: Less than 3 minutes
- Facebook: Less than 1 minute
- TikTok: 15-30 seconds
- YouTube: 42 seconds – 10 minutes (the speaker’s recommendation is 7-15 mins)
- Dynamic subjects
- Establish your content pillars
- Make the most out of your content. Repurpose your video content
Connecting to your audience
- Video is a great way to show your authentic self
- Read your comments to find out what’s connecting with your audience
In the world of social media, there’s so much going on everywhere. What better way to share information, show your brand personality and grab people’s attention than in a video form?
We hope you enjoyed these bite-sized nuggets from our virtual LaterCon experience this year! If you’re looking to learn more about elevating your organic content, get in touch with our team today.