Expert article • 04.10.2017

Using content more efficiently across multiple channels

Social media platforms are a part of today’s portfolios of most marketing and communications departments

You need to create ambitious content for multiple social media channels but lack time and resources? Most companies are familiar with this challenge – more coordinated efforts, communication networking and a joint editorial calendar can already have a great impact. In the end, synergies are also used between the individual platforms.

Nowadays, social media platforms are already a part of the portfolios of most marketing and communications departments. According to a Bitkom survey, three-quarters of German companies already use social media in their external or internal communication. That being said, once they have been set up, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts also need to be maintained and filled with content. This calls for additional expenditure, even more work and additional content that must be generated. At least this is often the perception. But is this really the case or can contents be used more efficiently and resources applied more strategically across multiple platforms and communication channels so that they mutually reinforce their impact?

Servicing social media channels – without internal networking?

Under pressure to have an extensive social media presence, new channels and activities are being added but typically no new human resources. Quite often, as digital natives with an affinity for social networking sites, interns are asked to handle these new activities since they already seem to be destined for this very task. A company might then have a Facebook page that is primarily supplied with contents by interns and a profile on XING and LinkedIn that is managed by HR. The website is still handled by the marketing department while the sales department creates and mails the newsletter. Maybe there is also a blog, for example, an earlier pilot project with decreasing frequency of updates. The traditional marketing and PR activities run at the same time, while events and newsletter at the individual sites are added to the mix in larger companies – not to mention all of the internal communication. The problem here is not the actual division of labor but rather the lack of coordination and networking. As long as each division only pays attention to “its“ contents and channels, it inevitably leads to duplicate work, while contents are not adequately interlinked. For example, even though a link to a story on the website is shared on Facebook, it lacks a teaser that is tailored to the target audience and users of the platform; image formats are incompatible. As a result, synergies between the individual channels cannot be optimally used.

That’s why the first step is to bring all parties to the table to jointly plan contents in the future and factor in the use and publication on the different channels right from the start. Although a long-term solution in the form of a newsroom would be ideal, this can’t be implemented in most cases or at least not in a timely manner. This is why regular meetings are all the more important to share news and experiences and facilitate joint planning. Mere status updates from the individual departments would be counterproductive.

Frauen_mit_Smartphone
The right message via the right channel reaches customers at the right point.
Source: PantherMedia.net/AntonioGuillemF

Criteria for the selection of contents and platforms

One ancillary effect of communication across multiple departments is that it suddenly becomes apparent how much potential content is already available in the different departments and hence in the company. Materials, texts, interesting stories, photos, graphics and videos that can be used and possible topics and activities you might like to cover come to the fore. The goal is to choose from this selection and determine the future direction of communication in the various channels.

The first questions to ponder should be: what benefits do we want to offer customers and stakeholder with our contents, what do we stand for and what makes us better than our competition? The prerequisite for optimal communication is also to know which platforms target audiences primarily use – to subsequently create a media presence on these platforms. Another criterion for the selection of suitable channels is the company’s activity and the resulting contents. For example, it’s crucial to have attractive photos or videos on Instagram, while a Twitter channel is best suited if you frequently cover corporate events, trade fairs, workshops or conferences. It is vital to understand the intention of the respective platform – to initially choose the right channels and to subsequently load them optimally. For example, a famous watch and jewelry brand primarily uses Twitter for events. It creates special hashtags to use for its videos and photos but also urges media and bloggers to use them to subsequently retweet their posts. A Snapchat account is also used for events but more to tease sneak previews or a behind the scenes look. Generally, Instagram will definitely also be interesting for these types of short stories in the future. The same way the jewelry manufacturer uses its channels, user-generated content, that being photos of users who give prior permission to use their images, could likewise be embedded on Instagram and foster collaboration with bloggers.

Implementation options: training and editorial calendar

A workshop where all team members acquire the basic knowledge about the respective platform lends itself to foster a mutual understanding at the outset. One outcome after training and the initial meetings may also be the realization that it might be more productive to discontinue activities on one channel and to boost others instead. It might become apparent that there is also a need for external support or additional associates who act as “correspondents” at specific locations.

After the platforms and activities that match the target groups and brand have been selected, it is advisable to set up an editorial calendar. In the beginning, this might be an Excel file that is accessible to all parties. Essential information, sources, time frames and responsibilities should be listed and specified here. It is crucial to make texts, photos or graphics and videos available in all of the needed formats to be able to easily share them and optimally present them in all media. These formats need to be common, stored in a joint tool to be accessible for all and be regularly updated. At the same time, there should be recognizability across all channels.

The implementation might mean that a text or infographic that is first published to the company blog also features a short story or teaser that has already been created beforehand for each paragraph or subitem for a Facebook post and gets integrated into the editorial plan. The posts could highlight the subject from different angles based on the target audience to spark interest. The writer of the original text or graphic could also create his/her own tweet with a corresponding hashtag. In doing so, an original text can be used and optimally linked across multiple platforms with references that are applicable and adapted to the target audience.

Author: Christoph Spannagel, Head of Search Engine Optimization at Goldbach Interactive

related articles:

popular articles:

Thumbnail-Photo: Tiedt celebrates quarter century milestone with ITL...
05.07.2023   #Tech in Retail #cash handling systems

Tiedt celebrates quarter century milestone with ITL

Marcus Tiedt marks 25 years with the cash handling and biometrics solutions provider

Marcus Tiedt, Innovative Technology’s Sales & Marketing Director, marks 25 years with the cash handling and biometrics solutions provider. Based in ITL’s German office in Pinneberg just outside Hamburg, Marcus has been an integral ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Puma reimagines omnichannel shopping experience through metaverse...
21.06.2023   #omnichannel #customer experience

Puma reimagines omnichannel shopping experience through metaverse platform

Sports company expands its metaverse web destination, Black Station, with immersive digital retail experience

Sports company Puma has launched Black Station 2, a metaverse platform that bridges the digital and physical worlds, allowing users to purchase phygital footwear. Black Station 2 is an expansion to its initial Black Station debut last September as ...

Thumbnail-Photo: German drinks retailer utilising facial analysis for automatic age checks...
28.07.2023   #brick and mortar retail #Tech in Retail

German drinks retailer utilising facial analysis for automatic age checks

Stand-alone solution MyCheckr for age verification by using cameras

A German liquor store franchisee operating in Pinneberg and Tornesch near Hamburg, has installed Innovative Technology's age verification technology. Innovative Technology (ITL), a provider of AI-powered biometric solutions, works with several ...

Thumbnail-Photo: With chatbots on the winning side?
02.08.2023   #online trading #e-commerce

With chatbots on the winning side?

How Google wants to promote productivity and creativity with Bard

Chatbots and other AI tools have been the talk of the town since the release of ChatGPT last year. In many industries, discussions are being held about the quality, reliability and actual usefulness of the programmes. With Bard, Google has thrown ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Help yourself!: Are self-checkouts the next big thing in retail?...
14.06.2023   #brick and mortar retail #self-checkout systems

"Help yourself!": Are self-checkouts the next big thing in retail?

Efficient everyday business, efficient shopping

In the face of the digital age (and the rush just after the end of the workday or the day right before a holiday), retailers are looking for innovative technologies to continuously improve shopping experiences. Self-service checkouts (SCOs) allow ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Toshiba Launches New ELERA™ Security Suite to Address the Industry’s...
22.09.2023   #cashpoints #customer experience

Toshiba Launches New ELERA™ Security Suite to Address the Industry’s Challenges Around Shrink

Toshiba’s A.I.-powered solution empowers retailers across the globe to better manage loss prevention and protect profits

Security Suite from Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions empowers retailers to minimize shrink...

Thumbnail-Photo: Senior Business Development Manager for ITL celebrates 20 year milestone...
01.08.2023   #Tech in Retail #cash management

Senior Business Development Manager for ITL celebrates 20 year milestone

Christian Czeskleba marks 20 years with the cash handling and biometrics solutions provider

Christian Czeskleba, Senior Business Development Manager (BDM) for Innovative Technology, marks 20 years with the cash handling and biometrics solutions provider this month. Based in ITL’s German office in Hamburg, Christian has seen the ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Toshiba launches powerful and compact TCx® 900 point-of-sale system...
22.08.2023   #brick and mortar retail #epos systems

Toshiba launches powerful and compact TCx® 900 point-of-sale system

POS system TCx 900 is designed for retail requirements and equipped with 13th generation Intel Core processors

The TCx® 900 is the newest point-of-sale (POS) system from global retail technology leader Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions. It provides advanced technology offerings through a powerful modular system in a compact design built to last and ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Iberian Sports Retail adopts Hii Retail native cloud platform...
19.06.2023   #e-commerce #retail

Iberian Sports Retail adopts Hii Retail native cloud platform

The Iberian Sports Retail Group adopts the Hii Retail native cloud platform in over 350 stores across three countries – “It enables us to scale up”

The multichannel leader in sports equipment sales in the Iberian Peninsula, Iberian Sports Retail Group (ISRG), has partnered with Extenda Retail to replace their Checkout applications. Extenda Retail’s next-generation cloud-native checkout ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Enhance inventory management and loss prevention – with Zebra...
12.06.2023   #e-commerce #brick and mortar retail

Enhance inventory management and loss prevention – with Zebra SmartCount solution

Now available in DACH, this accurate, easy-to-use solution provides time and cost savings and better inventory management

Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), a leading digital solution provider enabling businesses to intelligently connect data, assets, and people, will present Zebra SmartCount™,  a proven, comprehensive solution now ...

Supplier

Reflexis Systems GmbH
Reflexis Systems GmbH
Kokkolastr. 5-7
40882 Ratingen
Zebra Technologies Germany GmbH
Zebra Technologies Germany GmbH
Franz-Rennefeld-Weg 2-6
40472 Düsseldorf
Innovative Technology Ltd.
Innovative Technology Ltd.
Innovative Business Park
OL1 4EQ Oldham