It’s reactive. It’s relatable. It’s reaaally engaging.
Say what you will, social-first content is here to stay. Simply put, if you’re a brand that wants to keep your audience interested, you’ve got to give them hyper-relevant content that they’re interested in. It’s no longer enough to repurpose the same content across different channels again and again. And, while your perfect, polished, weeks-in-the-making brand-led content still has its place (so don’t worry!), it’s becoming more valuable than ever to use social channels for the type of responsive content users want to interact with - not just admire.
Why is social-first so important?
Social media is all about inspiration, connection, and entertainment. So, if you want to be a brand that uses these spaces well, you need to deliver content that actually inspires, connects, and entertains. Without hitting these marks, you won’t cut through the noise.
Through tailoring to particular social media audiences, social-first content does just that. It focuses on creating content at the forefront of trends and conversations while aligning with the unique features of a platform and the preferences of its specific users. This approach differs from traditional content creation, which would prioritise broader distribution across multiple channels. The goal is to make your content stand out—but not like a sore thumb. Social users don't want to see a blatant TV-style ad after laughing at a capybara video!
As the rise of algorithmic content discovery continues, social-first has become a game changer. With features like 'For You' and 'Explore' pages, social platforms now actively suggest content to users beyond just their own follower networks. And, because the algorithm favours content that uses platform-specific features, getting seen is a matter of playing your cards right. This has opened an exciting opportunity for brands to reach a much wider audience through an easier, more cost-effective approach.
So now that we’ve convinced you that social-first is the way forward …how do you make sure you’re doing it right?
Our guide to nailing social-first content
Use platform specifics to your advantage
Editing your content in-platform helps everything feel native and natural to your audience because it means you’re able to access platform-specific filters, stickers, fonts and sounds. And, by editing in-app, you’ll automatically be sticking to the best dimensions and cut-off zones.
Make the bandwagon your friend
Hopping on the latest trend is a great way to reach people far and wide, but it’s a bit of a balancing act. You need to connect your brand with a trend in a way that gets the measure of creativity, relevance, and authenticity just right - nothing kills a funny trend quicker than content that comes across as forced.
Think fast, act faster
Whether it’s a trend or a reaction to current events, the best results come from posting early. Keep content on the shorter side so you can go live as soon as possible, stay relevant, and position yourselves at the heart of the conversation, whatever it is. Always be on the lookout for new ideas through social listening or get in touch with our team of social specialists for some insider knowledge.
Let go of perfectionism
While we’re not endorsing total abandonment of those carefully crafted brand guidelines, it’s okay to stray from them slightly in your social-first content. Content that’s a little less than perfect feels much more organic and will land better with your audience. In fact, creating a whole extra set of social guidelines can make sure you never miss that sweet spot between native and on-brand.
Get real with your audience
Making your brand relatable means bringing things right down to earth with your content. Whether you’re sharing a product, store, or service, show customers or colleagues interacting with it in a way that feels real. Shooting people’s hands and faces or using voiceovers can help contribute to your content feeling more genuine. Real people like to see real people!
Ultimately, the reign of social-first means that brands need to approach content production in a totally new way. These days, content moves on quickly, which means speedy, reactive posting always comes out on top. It’s time to move past flashy production and time-staking, expensive shoots just for social. Instead, think agile, think authentic, think audience-centric.
To find out how you could harness the age of reactivity, get in touch with the STM AGENCY team. We’ve got the perpetual thinking and social know-how to give your brand a boost.
