Using the Rule of Thirds to Boost Your Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is all about engaging with your audience.

Being able to communicate directly with your audience is one of the biggest advantages of social media marketing. But it can be difficult to leverage the full power of social media without a serious, dedicated effort. This is where the Rule of Thirds comes in.

The Rule of Thirds is a full-circle approach to engaging in social media and managing your online presence. Following the Rule of Thirds means that you should allot approximately one-third of your time spent on social media engagement to each of the following areas:

1) Listen

This is the first and most important step in your social media marketing strategy. Listen to your online audience, industry influencers even your competitors. Keep an eye out for subjects like:

• What are they talking about?
• Can you add value to the conversation?
• Are they talking about you?

By taking the time to actively listen to your audience, it can shape your strategy and pave the way for meaningful interactions on social channels.

2) Engage

Engaging with your audience is where the rubber meets the road on social media. Join the conversation if, and only if, you can add value to it.

Another thing to pay attention to is when to engage. Posting at predetermined peak times is a good place to start, but it’s also important to do your own research. As our friends at SproutSocial said,

“While posting at peak engagement times is a go-to strategy, a detailed analysis of your audience might reveal less busy times where your specific audience is active, but competitors are not.”

One last thing: comment on industry blogs, newsletters, videos, etc. in areas where you can offer expertise. In instances where your company or brand is the topic of discussion, respond and respond quickly. Not only does this lead to better brand visibility, but it also sends positive trust signals to your users.

For more information on trust signals, check out our blog, Trust Signals: What They Are and How to Use Them

3) Lead

Once you have gained traction through engagement, start your own discussion.

Leading the conversation allows you to guide it to areas where your expertise can show. This attracts the right audience to you increasing the opportunity for engagement.

This is just a framework for how to bolster your social media marketing strategy. If you’re looking for the support of a full-fledged digital marketing agency to help take your campaigns to the next level, start the conversation today!