Why More Brands Should Embrace Editorial Thinking On Social Media

Hey, welcome to Mind Your Marketing. The weekly newsletter that gives you actionable social media advice for your brand.

Today’s article is all about editorial thinking and how your brand can embrace it to grow.

Enjoy below!

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Every brand wants quality content for social media, but so few get it right.

Most content is self-serving, jargon-heavy, and scrolled past.

But brands who nail it do something different.

The answer: editorial thinking. 💡

When a brand takes an editorial approach to its social that means they:

1. Tell stories, not shout announcements

2. Set an editorial standard

3. Build a content engine

4. Professionalize their content team

1. Tell Stories 📚

Everyone talks about brand storytelling, but companies often get one key component incorrect. They think they are the hero of the story when they post online. The posts are often filled with accolades and read like someone saying, “Look at me and how great I am.”

That’s the wrong approach.

Instead, companies need to see their customers as the heroes embarking on a journey, and they are the guide helping them. There isn’t room for two heroes in the story.

In 80s movie terms, your customer is the Karate Kid, and your brand is Mr. Miyagi.

2. Set an Editorial Standard🏅

Editorial standards ensure the content meets a quality standard and matches the brand voice/tone/style.

This standard is not only written. It’s lived in every internal and external content piece you create. It’s the brand voice, the sources you use/find acceptable, the topics you cover, etc.

If you don’t have editorial standards outlined, your team will run with whatever they think is appropriate. That leaves room for errors and promotes inconsistency.

3. Build a Content Engine 🚂

Your brand should have a system for content ideation and creation that ensures what you create matches your brand’s goals.

That means building workflows, using project management software, and having great designers, video staff, and SMMs. The power of having a social media system can’t be understated. It is the backbone of any consistent content production.

4. Professionalize Your Content Team 🧑‍🎨

Brand social shouldn’t be a secondary responsibility for the youngest person in your office.

It is important.

That means your brand should professionalize its social media team by hiring/contracting social media managers, community managers, graphic designers, videographers, PMs, etc.

Social media is more than just a one-person job if you want to do it at the next level.

Most companies have at least one person dedicated to managing social media and contractors. More established companies have borderline in-house agencies running their social.

Send me an email, and let me know how you’re implementing editorial thinking with your brand social.

See you next week.

Cheers,
Jordan

P.S. If you want to connect on social media, where I share tips throughout the week, follow me on X (Twitter) or Linkedin.

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