Gone are the days of professional photoshoots, high-quality video content, and curated content for every social post.
These days, audiences crave authentic, raw, unfiltered storytelling, even from the big brands they follow. They seek relatability and community. Brands must step up with the evolution and adjust their social media content strategies accordingly.
The Era of Polished Content
The early days of social media, in the 2010s and early 2020s, were dominated by edited photos, scripted videos, and picturesque "Instagrammable" moments in time.
Brands leaned into this 'polish' to project professionalism and aspiration, and the early platform algorithms favored the high production value. But this content sometimes felt distant and TOO unattainable (there's a fine line) and inauthentic to everyday users and their customer base.
This era had its moment, but the shift and key drives to more authenticity broke down the barriers and allowed customers to connect with their favorite brands more meaningfully by being honest and unscripted.
Why Do Audiences Crave Authenticity?
Our favorite brands feel special to us because they make us feel something. Audiences are tired of perfectionism and overly curated posts; we've all seen those for years, but the real ground-breakers are the brands who create behind-the-scenes videos of their new products getting made or who do quick interview videos with their customers to hear directly from the customer why they love a particular product line or feature.
We, as consumers, resonate with brands when we can feel and get to know real people, have authentic voices, and have real experiences.
Audiences connect more with brands that showcase their vulnerabilities and personality. There is no cookie-cutter content; it is just truly real and relatable. User-generated content (UGC) and genuine testimonials also stand out and carry much more weight than a typical polished social media ad.
Authentic content sparks real conversations, content shares, and customer loyalty. Customers want to be a part of a community.
Brand Benefits of Embracing a Raw Content Approach
Not only will you have lower production costs and a quicker turnaround time for your content development, but this approach can also make it much easier to keep up with quick trends and platform algorithm changes. You can build stronger, more loyal communities and connect deeper with your audience in a way that makes sense for them. You'll see more brand loyalty through authenticity vs. trying to be or showcase something you're not.
Practical Tips for Creating Authentic Social Content
Show every step of the process, not just the finished product. For example, at IronGlove Studio, we've been in the process of releasing our first product. We've been sharing posts along the way to document our process and updates as we build; newsflash: we're real people and want to connect meaningfully with our customers! If you're interested, look at what we're building with IronMaps™. People love seeing behind-the-scenes content and learning all the ins and outs that go into creating their favorite brands and services.
Also, in the age of AI, use REAL people, real team members, authentic voices for voiceovers, etc. Feature them in your content, and prioritize stories over scripts. Let it flow and let real experiences guide your messaging, and don't over-edit. Embrace minor imperfections (they signal authenticity!).
Authenticity is not a trend, but it's truly a new standard for social media success. Experiment with less polished content and see what happens for your brand; measure the impact, audience response, and trust. Leverage your social media analytics to see what takeaways you can glean.
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