3 Questions to Ask Before You Post on Social Media

3 Questions to Ask Before You Post on Social Media

Every social media post is an opportunity for your business to catch your ideal customer’s attention. But there are several things you’ll want to have in place to truly maximize each post

In this digital age, social media posts are current for five minutes and then quickly become “old news”. It is important to get your message out fast and on time so that your audience gets relevant information. But WAIT. Before posting, you need to be aware of how your message will be received. It is easy to quickly type words and hit send, but the after effect could be detrimental to your brand in the long run. Once it’s on the web, it is there forever. So, before clicking that post button, ask yourself these three questions and avoid making a huge branding mistake.

• Does This Post Add Value to Your Brand and Its Audience?
• Does This Tone or Message Apply to Your Brand’s Morals and Values?
• Where Does This Post Fall on the Line of Your Brand’s Boundaries?

One of the biggest challenges of creating a solid social media presence is to publish quality content consistently. Many artists post about concerts, recording sessions, and music videos, but they struggle with keeping their content consistent throughout their feed.

There are two truths about posting on social media: everything is public and everything is permanent. Everything.

Consistency means an organized social media page that fits your artistic identity. The posts should have a cohesive theme and colour palette, easy to follow, and overall, nicely presented. It will make you look more professional. And also, one of the major ways an indie artist can be distinguished from a major label artist will be from their social media profiles.

This does not mean indie artists don’t have a good social media presence. But, if you go to the social media page of almost any major label artist, you will notice how consistent their posts are. So from now on, you should focus on creating consistency on your social feed(s) and remove any posts that don’t fit who you are as an artist and your brand.

We found that more than 80% of recruiters and hiring managers review a potential candidate’s social media presence, and 59% rejected a candidate based on content found on social media sites. In particular, the recruiters rejected candidates based on social media posts with:

• Inappropriate photos and comments,
• Content about drinking and drugs,
• Negative comments about a previous employer, and
• Poor communication skills.

Social media has become a platform where we feel free to tell all and show all. However, inappropriate posts all in the name of fun can damage your reputation and destroy your personal brand. Indeed, stories about young adults denied entrance into universities and people losing jobs over social media missteps are becoming common place.

While this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t post anything at all, it does mean you should ask yourself a few questions to carefully consider any potential fallout before you publish that social post.

1. What’s My Company’s Social media Policy?
2. Is This Something I’d Be Comfortable Having My Employer See?
3. Is Anything I’m Sharing Confidential or Sensitive Information?
4. Is This a Conversation I Need to Have Online?
5. Is This Conversation in Line with My Personal Brand?

This is also key to consider if you’re a job seeker. “What you post follows you and becomes a part of your professional brand,” says Artis. So, it’s important to ask yourself whether what you’re posting could hurt or help your chances at landing your dream job and if that’s a risk you’re willing to take.

This can feel like a lot to think about, but it all comes down to one thing: Make smart choices. It’s that simple.

You know your company’s stance on social media (and your own personal brand) best—which means you know deep down what’s really OK to post and what’s not.

So, in this blog post, we’re going to look at how to make your posts more consistent. In order to do that, before making a post next time, you should ask these three questions to yourself. If the answers are yes to all three of these questions, then post it.

1) Will this piece of content help convey my story?

The first thing you need to think in terms of your branding is your story as an artist. How did you start making music? Why do you play music? What is your motivation with your music and what effect do you want it to have it on your listeners?  Can you transmit this message to your listeners easily?

These are important questions to think about. Your listeners need to know who you are, what you stand for, and your story. Once you have your story and your motivation clearly aligned, then ask yourself: “Will the content I’m about to post help convey my story or motivation?” If the answer is yes, then move on to the next question.

2) Will this piece of content help increase my reputation?

You always want your reputation to incrementally get better with every post you make on social media. It’s important to highlight the successful developments in your career as a musician. If you receive an award, or if you have an upcoming project with an important artist etc, these are great ways to increase your reputation. But this does not mean just talking about your success and hiding negative things about your life. It also means that you show the audience who you are as an artist and give them reasons why they should listen to your music while you highlight the good things about your career as well.

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3) Will this piece of content help my audience connect with me?

For creating engagement this is the most important question. As an artist you want true fans, not just one-time listeners, and in order to get true fans, you need to help your listeners connect with you.

The way to connect your listeners with you is to think about how you can make their lives better. Show your listeners what your music can do for them.

It’s not just about music after all, you need to find ways your music serves people. Perhaps your music makes people dance, makes them joyful, or it’s calming. Whichever it is, find how your music contributes to the lives of your listeners and focus on that effect.

When making your social media post, ask yourself if the content you’re about to post will help your audience members connect with you or not. If this content is going to strengthen your bond with your listeners and help you potentially turn them into true fans, then post it! It is that straightforward.

Taking the time to analyse your content before posting can create a value-based relationship with your audience, expand your audience, and create long-lasting relationships. For this to come to fruition, below are some essential questions to ask yourself before posting:

1. Will this post bring value to your audience?

• Your content should solve a problem that your audience may have.
• Your content should resonate with your audience in a way that brings value to their situation.

2. Does your content give your audience a reason to engage?

• Your content should be thought-provoking.
• Your content should give your audience a reason to begin a dialogue based on that content. This will initiate a conversation with other audience members, which can, in turn, generate an expansion of your current audience.

3. Is your content shareable?

• NOTE: not all of your content will be shareable. This is an element that should be considered consistently when planning your content marketing strategy.
• Your content should be valuable enough for your audience to share with their connections. Hopefully, their relationships will then share with their connections to expand your organic reach.
• This can allow one piece of content to expand your audience.

4. Is your content inspiring?

• Your content should inspire your audience to take action.
• Your content should go beyond generic motivational quotes and should be tailored to your audience.

There are numerous steps to take when creating a content marketing strategy. Don’t underestimate the power of these questions. Take your content strategy to the next level and generate long-lasting connections.

Before you post or comment in a personal capacity, ask yourself:

Is it all about me? No one likes someone who only talks about themselves. The same applies on social media. Balance boasting with complimenting.

Am I stalking someone? It is good to be driven and persistent but be careful not to cross the line into creepy. Don’t be too aggressive in outreach.

Am I spamming them? Not everything or even the majority of what you post should ask for something. Don’t make everything self-serving.

Am I venting or ranting? Venting and ranting may feel good, but research says it doesn’t help and no matter how justified you feel, it never presents you in a positive light. Do not post negative comments or gossip.

Did I ask before I tagged? You had a great time and want to share those memories, but your friends, family or employer may have different standards. Check before you tag people in posts.

Did I read before commenting or sharing? Don’t make yourself look foolish by not fully reviewing something you are commenting on or sharing with others. Don’t jump to conclusions.

Am I grateful and respectful? Don’t take people for granted. Respond and thank those who engage with you.

Is this the right medium for the message? Not everything should be said on social media. Consider the feelings of the other person. Some messages should be given in person, by phone or by email.

Am I logged into the right account? There are too many corporate examples of embarrassing posts meant for personal jokes that went out on official brand accounts. Always double check which account you are on. Don’t post personal information on brand accounts.

Have I listened twice as much as I am talking? Do you fully understand the person, organization or situation you are commenting about? We have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Taking the time to pause and listen has saved many people and brands from putting their foot in their mouth.

Of course, this guide just touches the surface of social media etiquette, ethics and professionalism. The take-away lesson? Always take the time to ask questions and think before you post.

Final Words

So, these are above main questions you should ask yourself before posting something on your social media account. Keep in mind that if you are serious about your music and your artist identity, you can no longer use your social media account like a personal page. You need to think like a business and act like one, because if this is not a hobby for you, then you are a business!

Vigilantly monitor your online presence. Be deliberate about how others perceive you and do not leave your online reputation to chance! Review your security and privacy settings. Know who you are friending and be mindful of what is appropriate in your industry. For example, in the legal field, lawyers and judges are typically not connected, while online connections appear to be the norm in the technology sector. Be aware of how your personal social media preferences fit together with your business environment.

Clear your profiles of anything questionable, inappropriate, or overly personal. If others post offensive content concerning you, ask them to remove it. Assume the best; they may not have seen the photo or post in the same manner you did. If necessary, block the offending user and report them to the site.

As a business does, you will notice that these three questions will help you think about your artistic identity and what message do you want to convey in your branding. In this way, these three questions are extremely helpful and help you figure out your artistic identity.

As you answer them, you will hopefully gain a habit of posting content that matches your branding identity and your feed will be full of posts that are consistent, and that help you convey your message to your fans. Building a brand and a following can be an extremely exciting and satisfying process, but only if done properly. By asking yourself these three questions before every post, you will increase your chances of social success and lessen the risk of a fatal mistake. Remember, what’s posted online will always be there and you need to make sure your brand speaks for itself, correctly.