Consumers have grown significantly more cautious about the content they share with their social networks. According to BuzzSumo’s Content Trends Report 2018, median social sharing rates of a content sample of 100 million pieces had decreased by 50% between 2015 and 2017. In fact, 90% of the content had fewer than 62 shares.
An exception seems to be LinkedIn, where at least according to its own data as reported by Digiday, engagement around content was increasing.
Yet, we as marketers continue to product content in record volumes, rising steadily in the same period. We can wonder aloud at the cause. Are they just not as interested in new content? Or is it a trust issue – a need to verify if it’s true. They certainly don’t want to be embarrassed if it’s false.
The reduction in social distribution, at least in most places, raises a couple of questions:
- Are brands sharing too much?
- What content investments are still worth it?
- What kinds of content will consumers value in private networks in the future?
There’s no one size fits all answer for this, but content marketers across consumer and B2B categories would be served well to reset their editorial strategies for a world of less sharing.
Here’s a five-point approach:
1. Reclaim your authority. Be clear about your purpose, your contributions and how far you can stretch.
2. Eliminate content where your brand doesn’t have any. Stop talking about things that are timely, but irrelevant to what you do and your purpose
3. Be trustworthy. Prioritize research and reference content that builds trust, aids consumer decision making, facilitates conversation in private social networks, and leads to real life experiences.
4. Update your content regularly. Content has a lifecycle. Sometimes you sunset it. Sometimes you reboot it with fresh formats, facts or subject matter.
5. Build connections between your content. Not just a messaging thread but connective tissue, leading one type to another across the customer journey.
By doing this, you’ll be prepared for changes in the way consumers discover content, penetrate their private distribution networks, and move beyond the pressure of having to overshare on social media.
