Have you hit a social media slump? Creating engaging content ideas is a daily uphill battle for small businesses and their social media strategies. When you need inspiration for what to do on social media, the easiest way to find ideas is to spy on your competitors. Please note: we are not justifying plagiarism. However, you could potentially find a broad range of ideas for your own social media content, pull them together, and generate content of your own. With that in mind, here’s what you should be asking yourself when you’re spying on your competition below:

How are they interacting with their followers?

Social media is all about engagement. It’s a two-way conversation, and it means marketing your brand through content, not products. That being said, engaging with your followers isn’t always easy. We’ve all been in that awkward situation; you do all your research, plan your content, and after posting numerous updates - you still hear crickets. Take all your frustration, a pen, and paper over to your competitor’s pages. Chances are, some of your competitors are having great interactions with their customers. Take note what these competitors do to get their customers talking and figure out a way to implement a strategy that will help you better engage with your consumers.

What kind of content are they creating?

Researching your competitors on social media not only provides an overview of your industry, but it also gives you insight into the style and aesthetic of the audience you’re looking to target. By turning to your competitor’s pages, you can indicate which topics are performing the best with their audiences. In return, this will save you time and give you insight into which topics your followers are interested in and what type of content performs the best. Keep in mind: you don’t have to create content to build an audience (though it’s always a good idea). You can also engage your audience by becoming a curator and collecting the best user-generated content and sharing it with your followers. Checking out the content that your competitors are sharing is a brilliant way of finding sources for your own curation.

What social media platforms are they using?

Social media can be a huge time drain unless you use it strategically. In order to manage your time on social media well, you have to choose the social media platforms where your networking can have the biggest impact. Observing the platforms your competitors use can be a simple way of scouting out where on the internet you’re most likely to find success. It’s also worth noticing the networks your competitors are not using. If they avoid using a particular social media platform, it generally means this network is not beneficial to your business. Save your time, and concentrate on the social media platforms  most relevant to your audience.

Social media has transformed the way we market our businesses, and in order to surpass the competition, you have to be aware of what they are doing. Keeping an eye on your competitors allows you to learn more about their tactics, activity, and customer engagement. Doing so could very well lead you to winning over some of their customers.

If you’re interested in growing your social media presence and want us to spy on the competition for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Email us at info@theburnetteagency.com or give us a call at 404-850-2081.