How to Stay Relevant on Social Media

Co-authored by Melissa Rodriguez and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: August 25, 2021 References

Whether you’re a small business owner, an influencer, or the face of a corporation, social media is a great tool you can use to connect with more people. Since the very nature of social media is constantly changing, it can be hard to keep up with the times. We’ve compiled a list of a few ways you can stay relevant on social media to continue relating to your audience and get new followers.

1

Connect with your audience.

Ask questions and reply to comments to see what your followers like. The more you can get feedback from them, the happier they’ll be! Host polls on your Instagram or Twitter, ask questions on your posts or stories, and respond to comments underneath your pictures.^{[1]
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- If your followers don’t like what you’re posting, try to find out why. Not everyone’s going to love your content 100% of the time, but if the majority of your audience isn’t happy, you might need to switch something up.^{[2]
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  Melissa Rodriguez
  Marketing & Advertising Specialist
  Expert Interview. 23 April 2021.}

2

Vary your content.

People might get tired of posts that all look the same. If you normally post your workout routine, try mixing it up with some nature shots. If you usually post a lot of selfies, try taking some pics of your pet instead. Break up your feed so your followers get excited when you post something new.^{[3]
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- You don’t have to abandon your “brand” completely—you can still keep your posts relevant to your audience.

3

Post consistently.

Your followers might forget about you if you take too much time off. While it’s totally fine to take a break from social media (in fact, it’s probably a good idea once in a while), posting content on a regular basis will keep you in the spotlight.^{[4]
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Melissa Rodriguez
Marketing & Advertising Specialist
Expert Interview. 23 April 2021.} It’s up to you how often you post, but once a week is usually a good starting point.^{[5]
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- If you do decide to take a break from social media, let your followers know. That way, they’ll expect you to come back and keep an interest in your content.

4

Pay attention to current trends.

Try to figure out what’s relevant and what’s not. Search through popular hashtags, read pop culture articles, and follow other people on social media.^{[6]
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Melissa Rodriguez
Marketing & Advertising Specialist
Expert Interview. 23 April 2021.} You can really uplift your social media presence if you latch onto current trends.^{[7]
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- Current trends might also mean jumping from one social media platform to another (remember when we all switched from MySpace to Facebook?). Don’t be afraid to make new accounts on different platforms to reach a wider audience.

5

Post when your audience is online.

Take a look at your analytics to see when your followers engage the most. Try to post content when most people are online so they actually see your content. If you have followers all over the world, you may have to pick and choose when to post.^{[8]
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- If you have a business account on Instagram, you can look at your analytics to figure out when your followers are online.

6

Partner with influencers on social media.

Influencers reach a wide audience that you can capitalize on. If you sell a product, consider reaching out to influencers to give them coupon codes in exchange for a review on social media. If you’re an influence yourself, try reaching out to others for collaborations on content.^{[9]
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- Try to find influencers with a lot of followers who are relevant online. If they often show up on your Explore Page or in popular hashtags, it’s a safe bet that they’re reaching a pretty wide audience.

7

Be authentic.

Followers are more likely to engage if they’re seeing the real you. When you post on social media, try to stay true to yourself and post content that you truly enjoy.^{[10]
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Melissa Rodriguez
Marketing & Advertising Specialist
Expert Interview. 23 April 2021.} If you’re doing it all for the likes or the follows, people might not be as interested in your posts.^{[11]
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- This is true even if you’re posting on behalf of a brand or a company. If you try too hard or seem inauthentic, your audience won’t trust you as much.

8

Stay flexible.

If your content isn’t working, be willing to mix it up. If your pics aren’t getting as many likes as they used to, try posting videos instead. If you latched onto a trend that isn’t relevant anymore, toss it aside and go for something new. Social media is constantly changing, and you should too!^{[12]
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- For example, TikTok and Instagram Reels have gained a ton of popularity. If you aren’t used to posting video content, it can be a tough switch—but it might just be worth it.

Expert Q&A

Question

What is relevance in social media?

Melissa Rodriguez
Marketing & Advertising Specialist
Melissa Rodriguez is a Marketing and Advertising Specialist and the Founder of Social Media Relations out of Los Angeles, California. With over 5 years of experience, she specializes in branding, content production, social media marketing, and public relations. Melissa holds BS degrees in Global Perspectives and Corporate Finance and Accounting from Bentley University.

Melissa Rodriguez

Marketing & Advertising Specialist

Expert Answer

It can mean whatever you'd like it to mean to you, but most people on social media think about relevance as the number of eyes on your posts. It can also refer to how much engagement you're getting though, or how important the material you're posting is.
Question

Should I post the same thing to each of my social media accounts?

Melissa Rodriguez
Marketing & Advertising Specialist
Melissa Rodriguez is a Marketing and Advertising Specialist and the Founder of Social Media Relations out of Los Angeles, California. With over 5 years of experience, she specializes in branding, content production, social media marketing, and public relations. Melissa holds BS degrees in Global Perspectives and Corporate Finance and Accounting from Bentley University.

Melissa Rodriguez

Marketing & Advertising Specialist

Expert Answer

It really depends on what your goal is, but if you're trying to sell a service or develop an audience, I wouldn't really recommend it. Every medium has its own unique quirks and users. You typically want to tailor your content based on the platform. Something like Twitter is best for short, quippy content and humor. Facebook is better for longer written content, and more popular with an older audience. Instagram is ideal for sharing images and video. You want to utilize each platform by playing into its strengths, which means customizing your posts.