Want to Get More From Your Social Media? Be "Interestinger"

I look at tons of social media accounts every day, and the biggest problem with most social media accounts isn’t the time of day they post, the tool they use for posting, or whether or not the post contains an image. It isn’t their content calendar or the social media strategy.

The problem is that their content is just boring.

People are overwhelmed with content on social networks – an average person on Facebook has 130 friends and is connected to 80 additional groups, pages, and events. This means that on Facebook alone more than 200 things, updating multiple times a day, are fighting for our attention.

If you aren’t breaking through, it probably isn’t because of the mechanics of how you post, it is probably what you post. You are probably boring.

Regardless of your industry – whether you are B2B or a fun consumer brand, you don’t have to be boring. Even boring industries can create interesting content (remember that people in your industry probably don’t think it is boring).

So how do you become “interestinger”?

It isn’t by reviewing your strategy or content calendar, it is by spending more time crafting your actual posts and making them better.

I’m not a creative genius (I’m actually surprisingly not creative), so when people ask me, “Krista, how do we become less boring?” it took me a while to figure out an answer. “How do you become interestinger?”

After looking at social media accounts that are nailing it, here are five things that you can do to make your content more interesting:

1. Link to Pop Culture

Not in a news-jacking way, but in an interesting way. Oreo did this in their highly acclaimed “Daily Twist” campaign where they celebrated events like the anniversary of the Mars Rover landing and Elvis Week.

2. Get Inspired on Pinterest

Pinterest is an amazing source of inspiration because it represents content that people want to share (80 percent of pins are repins). I love going to Pinterest for creative inspiration, humor, and interesting new ideas related to my content ideas.

3. Use Interesting Stats, Quotes, or Factoids

Bite-sized interesting pieces of content are great for social networks. Consider quotes, stats, or factoids that are surprising or unexpected.

4. Stop Talking About Yourself

Seriously, your news and press releases aren’t very interesting – don’t over-brand all of your content or it will feel more like an ad than a piece of interesting content.

5. Be Catchy

You don’t need long, full sentences. Be catchy. Be short. Be creative.