As a digital marketer [who specialises in content marketing] … I pray for the “big reach” posts.
That’s the affinity stuff.
They’re the posts we chase.
They’re the high 5’s you give your own self.
They’re the victory lap you take around your own loungeroom.
They’re the reminder to yourself that you are content-marketing-extraordinaire, ha!
And I’m lucky, because [for whatever reason. No wait, humility aside … I know the reasons] TDP’s content *kills* it online, and I get to enjoy a lot o’ high 5’ing of my own self / victory lap’ing around my loungeroom on the reg.
Why? Well, because a lot of the posts that I design are designed with affinity in mind, and a lot of them do what I want them to do [and then others tank, and that’s ok … it’s all part of content marketing being the aspect of marketing that forever keeps you on your toes].
When it comes to TDP’s content? I’m aiming for brand awareness wins, or brand sentimentality wins, or conversion wins, or memorability wins, or relatability wins, or endearment wins, and basically – if you’ve sat in any strategy workshop with TDP – you’ll know we’re out there chasing affinity.
Always.
Because we play a long-term content marketing game here in TDP-land, and so we’ll take [and chase] the long[er] term affinity stuff, always. And when we achieve that affinity? Man, we are thrilled.
That is of course, until we’re not. As in, not thrilled. For example this post [i.e now TDP’s #1 performing post on both FB + IG, in 5.5 years of TDP TDP’n];
And when shared on FB? 370 likes and 85 comments, and stupid levels of reach.
And these results are usually everything that we tend to celebrate, except that we didn’t. And I didn’t. And actually, I was baffled [??] … because I was discussing weight loss. And sure, the weight loss was significant [and I’m proud. Not of the weight loss, but of the type II diabetes diagnosis removal, and the feeling like I have energy again for the first time in a long time], but this post when shared on both IG and FB is now our no. 1.
It’s surpassed every digital marketing award we’ve ever won [and there’s been many]. It’s surpassed every client win that we share. It’s surpassed every piece of all-important social proof content. It’s surpassed the pro bono work that we do to advance women [i.e when we lend ourselves to NFP’s who help women to escape domestic violence etc.]. It’s surpassed … basically everything we’ve ever achieved [in terms of reach, impressions and engagements], and it’s all because I lost 32kg’s.
I’m wondering if – like me – you’re thinking there’s a problem here?
I do.
Sure, the content is relatable. Jay-sus. It’s clearly relatable. We could *all* seemingly relate to what I attributed the weight gain to; prioritising my business over me, long nights back at work. Uber Eats’ing sh*t meals to myself, 10pm sugar hits to “keep me going” [because I don’t drink coffee] etc. etc. but I’ll be honest and admit that I did feel a little deflated when I realised a weight loss post can trump everything else we’ve basically ever done [and achieved].
And I told myself that how I was feeling was personality type-related [my personality type chases social media for social good, and really big impact stuff], but truthfully? Ever since this post went live – and legitimately surprised me with its reach … and I’ve been creating content, and doing content, and writing content for 10+ years – I’ve been thinking there’s a broader issue at play here.
[but that’s another post, tbh]
For me? That piece of content [and the way it did what it did] has changed how I consume content now. I don’t just respond to the affinity stuff like I used to [because that’s the big – and obvious – stuff, isn’t it?], but I scroll through the smaller content too [the stuff that the algorithm might not have served up to me, had I not meticulously poured through the last fortnight’s worth of content some of my favourite businesses have shared].
I’ve realised I need to stop relying on the algorithm to serve me all o’ my content, because they’ll share the big stuff [sure. That’s how SM works] … but I wanna see your client wins, too. I wanna celebrate that you offered 30k per annum in pro bono services to those NFP’s. I’ll applaud the loudest when you take out that digital marketing award, because if I don’t? … the algorithm will just share your “loud” posts [i.e the ones that attract all o’ the “signals”] about your weight loss, and that time that you shared that you’re battling in small business land etc. etc.
And I’m here for them too [seriously. Well done on your “big” stuff], but after that post went and did what it did? … I’ve promised that I’m here for your “small” [read: actually big] stuff, too.