Archive: Factory farm social media helps no one

There's a fine balance when it comes to managing social media channels.

For organic social, your goal is mostly to maintain and improve brand reputation, while increasing awareness.

It can lead to sales too, but that's more of an ads focus.

For those ads, it's still awareness, but really it's all about leads, enquiries or sales.

Realistically, they both need to work together. And they need care and attention, not a conveyor belt of intensive nonsense.

What they both definitely do not need, is blanket, automated content with no thought about the audience or the here and now.

Yes, scheduling content is a bit of a ballache, but only if you're not blessed with a thought-through strategy and a team (or agency) that actually cares about what they're doing.

The warning signs

"We automate everything."

"As many times as you want."

"It posts for you."

"Daily posting"

These quotes scare me more than the state of Derby County's finances (FML)

Automation is a wonderful thing that improves so many marketing functions, but it should support, not take over social media management.

Pay attention to any of the very best brands on social – the likes of Paddy Power, innocent or GymShark.

What sets them apart is their commitment to 'being real' and genuine – true to their own unique brand traits.

Yes, they'll share some 'standard' messages that need to be promoted, but these are part of, not the whole.

Planned or reactive, these posts are creative and hit the mark.

Plus, these brands are not afraid to try and 'fail' – then try again.

They're certainly not the social media equivalent of factory farming nonsense.

So what?

"But automated social makes my life so much easier!"

Blasting out posts at will won’t help anyone. The support of these types of automation tools might save you money, but will they bring you value?

Ask yourself, what will it actually do for you?

Being active on social is one thing, being relevant, interesting or useful is another.

Proper social media activity is an investment, not a cost.

Content which posts "as much as you want" will have zero impact, so while it may show you're 'out there' it won't pass your audience's own 'so what?' test.

The audience you do have will switch off as the algorithms play their part and you'll be left with no new followers, FA engagement and a dirge of uninspiring posts.

Not a risk worth taking, is it?