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Today… an engagement hack that doesn’t suck.
This is from the archives.
I wrote this back in 2021, but I think there’s still a lot of value here.
(Also.. if you’re looking for a job, scroll down!)
But first…
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Social Media Specialist (Houghton University)
This position will partner with other marketing team members to implement an integrated marketing strategy, with primary responsibility for:
Content Creation & Planning
Design and execute content calendar to strategically expand the reach and recognition of Houghton University among key audiences of prospective students, their families, and alumni through creative use of graphics, video, and post captions.
Write and schedule posts across key social platforms, following best practices to maximize engagement.
Research social media trends accessibility best practices, and identify campus stories for posts.
Works closely with Graphic Designer and Videographer/Photographer to develop video, photo, and graphic content.
Community Engagement
Moderate user-generated content following our community guidelines.
Monitor mentions and respond to users across platforms to maintain a positive brand image.
Platforms Management
Ensures compliance across university social media accounts with institutional policy and accessibility guidelines.
Support and work collaboratively with departmental content creators in their social media initiatives, providing best practices, policy adherence, and resources to engage and grow audience in alignment with University-wide marketing campaigns.
Assist with monitoring and responding to crisis situations following the crisis communications plan.
Analytics & Optimization
Regularly report performance and make adjustments to content and strategy to maximize impact of social presence.
Track and report sentiment, reach, engagement, and other performance metrics, and adjust content strategy to maximize the impact of Houghton’s social presence.
Routinely solicits feedback from current students to influence social media content and guide content strategy and execution.
Want to get your open role in front of 10K social media pros? Reply to this email!
Engagement Hack (That doesn’t suck)
Here’s an image I posted way back in 2021.
Objectively, this image is good. The fonts complement each other nicely, the color works well, and the background image is fitting.
The only trouble… Instagram users don’t care if an image is objectively good. They care about whether or not they can quickly get the message and move on. Content gets consumed fast so we need to get the message across even faster.
Here’s the same content, delivered in a different way.
Here, there is no question about what you are supposed to look at. It’s even highlighted for you! The text is black on a white background and is thick enough that you can read it without squinting or zooming in.
In a sea of over-designed images, this type of post stands out.
It’s also in a format that’s familiar, but in a place that isn’t typical.
This “surprisingly familiar” template stops the scroll.
If you feel that you can’t go without a background image, here’s how to maximize engagement:
Increase contrast: Darken the background and use white text. If you can’t read it on your phone clearly with your arm fully extended, make it bigger.
Don’t distract: Personally, I like nature images because they don’t distract the eye too much. People’s eyes are naturally drawn to faces so I try to stay away from images of people.
Delete, delete, delete: However many words you think you should use, do about half of that. Typically, people don’t want to read a paragraph, they sometimes don’t even want to read a sentence. Use less words to reach more.
That’s it! Consistently implementing these changes will result in a measurable uptick in engagement.
Hope that helps!