Why the Best Social Media Begins Offline

When I was notified last year that the content marketing firm where I work was moving offices—giving up its spacious, albeit outdated, digs for a new state-of-the-art studio three blocks up the road—I couldn’t help but be a little skeptical, uneasy even, of the changes in the offing.

There was plenty to get excited about. We were rumored to be getting a new gym, access to a rooftop terrace, and larger common areas and break room—all of which would be ours but for one significant tradeoff: The majority of the staff would be forced to sacrifice its private offices for “personal workstations”—cubicles!

We were told the change would improve workflow, encourage collaboration, and usher the company into a new era of creative thinking. All I could think about was how my coworkers would react the first time I unbuttoned my jeans in the uncomfortable aftermath of a two-burrito lunch.

Six months have passed since the move. And while the burrito lunch has yet to become a source of complaint (knock on wood), the open working environment is already paying dividends. Coworkers from every department can be found mingling in the common areas or any one of several “teaming” rooms. Where conversations were once had over phone or email—our editorial and design offices used to be on separate floors—editors, art directors, and other members of our content team now spend significantly more time looking at and dealing with challenges in person, using real words—actually being social!

So what does all of this have to do with you? If you work at an association or company that produces targeted content in the form of magazines, videos, or web sites for its constituents or clients, a lot. Think about it: The act of reading—or apropos in this case, engaging with content—has never been more a social experience than it is right now.

Reading used to be an act of solitude—something people did in fits of introspection, under an umbrella while on vacation in the Bahamas, or on a plane—to escape, often to avoid other people. And while I sincerely hope that enough of us will forever enjoy the pleasures of getting lost in a good book or magazine feature, it’s impossible to ignore that, for many, the act of reading and, often, the reason for it, is changing.

In an age where politicians, entertainers, and athletes tweet to just about everybody and even your average nobody (this writer included) has more than 100 friends on Facebook, reading has become the world’s ultimate conversation starter. People don’t just absorb content anymore. They filter it. They add their personal touch by commenting on it. And, if it’s good enough, they post it—to everybody who’s anybody.

If the act of consuming content is itself a social experience, it stands to reason that the act of creating content should be, too.

Don’t misunderstand: I’m not suggesting your firm take a sledgehammer to its walls in favor of more collaborative work spaces—unless, of course, it wants to. But, in this era of unprecedented change everyone who touches your content needs to understand how its audience interacts with it. That means having conversations. It means not working in a vacuum. It means picking up your head to absorb the wonder and the creativity that surrounds you.

At the content marketing firm where I work, we’ll soon launch an internal professional development workshop, where experts in every department—art, production, editorial, quality control, marketing, accounting—will present to coworkers at a series of informal lunchtime meetings on topics with the potential to transform our industry. Will these discussions change how we conduct business? I’m not sure it matters. The goal is to get people involved, to further the conversation, and to generate passion through the same brand of social interaction that propels the content we create.

Not ready to launch your own professional development workshop? Don’t sweat it. Here are some suggestions for promoting the kind of social content creation that promises to resonate with today’s social content consumer.

Get Out There.

You might work with the most creative bunch in the world. Hopefully, you do. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t good work worth noticing elsewhere. Visit the websites or download the mobile apps of your favorite publications. Click through their pages and tinker with their various interactive features and videos. Have a few extra minutes during lunch? Pop into your local newsstand and flip through the magazines that capture your interest. There’s no law against finding inspiration elsewhere. Whether your content reaches 100 people or 100,000, the goal is the same: to keep consumers coming back. What works for another publication’s audience might also work for yours. You won’t know unless get out there and look.

Group Therapy.

It’s not just for addicts and the clinically insane. Coming together to talk about shared passions is a great way to generate spirited conversation and—potentially—new ideas. Bring old issues of your publication to the table or click through your website in groups. Talk about the features you like and the ones you can’t stand. Maybe somebody in your marketing department has an idea about how to improve your editorial product, or vice versa. No two people receive and use content the same way. Sometimes a difference of opinion can make all the difference.

Don’t Just Prescribe Medicine, Take It.

A couple of years ago, I had major neck surgery. Before going under the knife, the doctor sat me down and told me how I would feel afterward. I appreciated what he was trying to do, assimilating years of research and experience in an attempt to paint a picture of how my recovery might play out. But, in all honesty, he had no idea how I would feel. It’s not as if he’d performed the surgery on himself. Fortunately, content creation is not so invasive. If you’re thinking of adding a social media component to one of your publications, for instance, create an account and use the application yourself. Don’t tell your clients what the program is intended to do and how it might affect their existing infrastructure. Explain to them in very real terms what it has done for you, in your own experience, and how a similar approach could potentially benefit their business.

Learn From Your Mistakes.

Social content creation, like anything you do, should be a results-oriented pursuit. How you measure those results depends largely on what goal you’re trying to achieve. Do you want to grow your audience base, improve advertising clickthroughs across your website, increase the number of outside sources that link directly to your original content, or improve the comment rate across your various social media campaigns?

Whatever your goal, you should use analytics to measure the fruits of your labors. If one approach doesn’t measure up, don’t be afraid to try something new. The best thing about social media and, in turn, social content creation is that yesterday’s mistake can lead to tomorrow’s breakthrough. In some respects, testing an approach and failing is better than failing to try anything at all.

[Image: pupismyname]