CONNECTING WEBSITE TO SOCIAL MEDIA

A business that spends considerable resources for creating useful content on its website, may remain unseen by most potential customers. While publishing an informative and valuable article on a website is only the first step, the same content should also be adapted and shared through social media to reach a much wider audience.

This, however, does not mean creating completely different content for every platform. A better approach is to make the website the central source of information and use social media to distribute, introduce and discuss that content.

A well-planned content strategy for a business website can therefore work together with social media to increase visibility, bring visitors back to the website and extend the useful life of each piece of content.

MAKE WEBSITE THE MAIN CONTENT HUB

Primarily, a business website should generally contain the complete version of important information. An article, buying guide, case study, product explanation or industry report can live on the website as the primary resource.

Social media can then be used to introduce that information through diverse platforms to different audiences. For example, a furniture company might publish a detailed article titled “How to Choose the Right Sofa for Your Living Room.” Instead of simply publishing the article and waiting for visitors, the company could share different aspects of it on social media.

One post can discuss sofa size, another explain fabric choices, while one more highlight common buying mistakes. Each piece may direct interested people to the full article on the company website. In this way, one piece of business website content can generate several promotional opportunities across social media platforms.

ADAPT CONTENT FOR EACH PLATFORM

Different platforms encourage their own unique forms of communication. Thus, the same content should not necessarily be copied word-for-word across every social media platform. A detailed website article might become a short text post on LinkedIn, a series of visual slides on Instagram, a short video explanation on YouTube, or a brief discussion post on Facebook.

While the underlying information remains the same, but its presentation changes. For example, an article about choosing an air conditioner could provide the basic information on the website. A social media post could highlight three factors customers should consider before buying one. A short video could explain how room size affects the required capacity.

This approach allows businesses to repurpose website content into multiple formats that make consuming such content interesting and informational for the social media audience.

TURN ONE ARTICLE INTO MULTIPLE SOCIAL POSTS

A useful article often contains several individual ideas that can be developed into social media content.

Suppose a car dealer publishes an article about common mistakes when buying a car. That article might contain information about financing, insurance, maintenance costs, fuel efficiency and resale value. And each of these topics can become a separate social media post.

The result is a simple content cycle – One website article → several social media posts → visitors return to the full article. This makes content creation more efficient while giving the original article a much longer life.

USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO ANSWER SMALLER QUESTIONS

Not every customer question requires a 500-word article. Most of the customer queries can be answered effectively through a short social media post, while more detailed questions can be directed towards the website.

For example, a clothing company might publish an article explaining how to care for different fabrics. On social media, it could answer individual questions such as – Can cotton clothes be machine washed? How should linen be stored? How can you prevent dark clothes from fading?

While social media content provides a quick answer to customer doubts, the website offers the more complete resource. This creates a useful connection between website content and social media content.

CONVERT WEBSITE ARTICLES INTO VISUAL CONTENT

Visual content is a very effective way to present one’s point of view at a glance, which is usually preferred more by individuals over long or boring articles. Thus, converting much of a website information into visual material and sharing the same on different social media platforms generate considerable publicity.

Statistics can become simple graphics. Lists can become carousel posts. Product comparisons can become charts. Step-by-step instructions can become short videos. For example, a home renovation company could publish a detailed article about planning a kitchen renovation. From that one article, it could create visual posts about measurements, storage, materials, budgeting and common mistakes.

While website remains the detailed reference point, graphical presentations on social media make it easier for the audience to consume, understand and be influenced.

BRING SOCIAL MEDIA CONVERSATIONS BACK TO WEBSITE

Social media should not always be treated as the final destination.

When a social media discussion raises a more detailed question, the business can create or update website content to answer it. Suppose several customers ask a company about the difference between two products. That question could lead to a detailed comparison article on the website.

The article can then be shared through social media, creating a continuous cycle: Customer question → website content → social media discussion → new customer questions. This can help a business build a growing library of useful information.

GIVE OLD CONTENT A NEW LIFE

Content repurposing strategy allows businesses to get more value from content they have already created. A useful article can be promoted again months later, particularly when its subject becomes relevant.

For example, a written piece on preparing a home for winter can be repeated on social media before winter season. A guide to buying school supplies can be promoted before a new academic year. A major benefit is that older articles do not have to disappear after their initial publication.

CREATE A CONNECTED CONTENT SYSTEM

A website and social media should not operate as completely separate marketing activities. While the former can provide detailed information, the latter may help people discover, consume and discuss that information. When planned properly, a single piece of content would serve several platforms and audiences without being unnecessarily duplicated.

The goal is not to publish more and more content on every platform. It is to create useful content once and intelligently adapt it for different audiences and channels. For businesses, this can make content creation more efficient while increasing the reach of their website content strategy. More importantly, it gives potential customers multiple ways to discover the information they need and eventually find their way back to the business website.