Are rules made to be broken? Your answer to that might depend on your personality and length of your criminal record — but we’re asking the wrong question here. It’s not a matter of whether rules are meant to be broken or not; it’s a matter of why they exist in the first place. What is the purpose of the 80/20 rule in social media? Who is it protecting and serving? That’s the truth of what we’re here to explore, so let’s get started.
First things first, the 80/20 can be defined as such:
Spend 80% of your time sharing content that adds real value — think helpful tips, insights, and engaging stories. The other 20%? That’s where you spotlight your brand, products, or services.
Why does this rule exist? It’s primarily about serving your target audience — the user. The 80/20 rule exists because social media success hinges on balancing your audience’s needs with your brand goals. It’s not just about promoting products; it’s about building trust and building relationships. When 80% of your content offers value, you’re serving your audience first. This keeps followers engaged and invested in your brand without feeling like they’re constantly being sold to.
Why is this so effective? Because people are more likely to stick around and engage with content that’s genuinely useful to them. By reserving only 20% of your posts for promotions, you maintain a user-centered approach, showing that you understand their needs and aren’t just focused on making a sale. This strategy allows you to build a community that sees you as a reliable resource, increasing the likelihood they’ll turn to your brand when they’re ready to buy.
Benefits of the 80/20 Rule in Social Media
Here are some more key benefits of the 80/20 rule in social media:
1. Building Brand Credibility
Consistently offering value-driven content helps establish your brand as a reliable, knowledgeable source.
2. Fostering Engagement
When followers feel they’re getting more than just sales pitches, they’re more likely to engage with your content — whether that’s liking, sharing, or commenting on posts. Higher engagement rates also lead to increased visibility on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, where algorithms favor content with higher engagement.
3. Enhanced Brand Visibility
Focusing on valuable content naturally extends your brand’s reach. Social media platforms prioritize content that audiences interact with, meaning a mix that leans heavily on valuable, sharable content is more likely to reach new users organically.
4. Avoiding Audience Fatigue
A feed that’s full of promotional content can lead to ad fatigue, where followers feel inundated with sales messages and lose interest in engaging with your brand. With the 80/20 rule, you maintain a balance that keeps your followers engaged, without feeling “sold to” every time they see your posts.
How to Implement the 80/20 Rule
Identifying Value-Driven Content
Value-driven content is any content that provides something beneficial, interesting, or engaging to your audience. Examples include:
- Educational Posts: Share industry insights, how-to guides, and tips relevant to your audience.
- Industry News: Keep your followers informed on the latest developments in your field.
- Inspirational Content: Quotes, motivational stories, or positive messages related to your brand or industry.
- Entertaining Posts: Light-hearted content that resonates with your brand’s voice, like fun facts or relatable memes.
Defining Promotional Content
Promotional content is anything that promotes your brand’s offerings or encourages a direct response from your audience. Examples include:
- Product Announcements: New product releases or updates.
- Sales or Offers: Discount promotions or limited-time offers.
- Event Announcements: Inviting your audience to upcoming events, webinars, or special appearances.
- Calls to Action (CTAs): Encouraging your audience to sign up, purchase, or learn more about your offerings.
Balancing the Content Mix
Maintaining the 80/20 mix is about consistently alternating value-driven and promotional posts to ensure your feed feels engaging and authentic. For instance, if you post ten times in a week, aim for eight value-driven posts and two promotional posts. Spacing them out throughout the week keeps your feed balanced and varied.
Understanding Your Audience
Researching Audience Preferences
Knowing your audience’s preferences is key to crafting engaging value-driven content.
To understand what resonates:
- Monitor Engagement: Track which posts get the most likes, shares, and comments. These insights reveal what your audience enjoys most.
- Analyze Comments and DMs: Pay attention to questions, requests, and general feedback.
- Surveys and Polls: Social media platforms offer built-in tools for polling your audience on topics or content types they’d like to see.
Segmenting Your Audience
Audience segmentation is a powerful way to refine your content for different groups within your follower base:
- Demographics: Tailor content by age, location, or gender.
- Interests: Create content that speaks to particular interests within your audience, such as fitness, lifestyle, or tech.
- Engagement Levels: Identify and engage highly active followers, as they’re more likely to share and amplify your content.
Content Planning Techniques & Other Rules in Social Media
The 4-1-1 Rule
The 4-1-1 rule is another content mix strategy that can support the 80/20 rule. It suggests:
- 4 Value-Driven Posts: Share educational, informative, or entertaining posts that relate to your audience.
- 1 Soft Promotion: Share a post that subtly highlights your brand’s offerings without a hard sell.
- 1 Hard Sell: Post directly promoting a product or service with a clear call-to-action (CTA).
The Rule of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds strategy divides content into three categories:
- One-Third Promotional: A mix of soft and hard sells.
- One-Third Engaging with Followers: Commenting, liking, and sharing follower content, responding to DMs, or reposting user-generated content.
- One-Third External Valuable Content: Sharing articles, videos, or blog posts from reputable sources that relate to your brand.
Content Calendars and Scheduling
Content calendars help you maintain a consistent posting schedule that sticks to the 80/20 rule. Using tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, or Sprout Social allows you to schedule value-driven and promotional posts in advance, balancing your feed for optimal engagement.
Monitoring and Measuring Success
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Tracking your 80/20 social media strategy requires monitoring KPIs:
- Engagement Rate: Measures how followers interact with your content, including likes, comments, and shares.
- Reach: Shows how many unique users saw your posts.
- Conversions: Measures how many users took an action based on your CTA, such as visiting your website or signing up for a newsletter.
Analyzing Engagement Metrics
Analyzing engagement assesses how well your content resonates with your audience:
- Likes and Shares: Indicate that your content is interesting or entertaining.
- Comments and Click-Through Rate (CTR): Signal that your content is engaging enough for followers to interact or learn more.
Adapting to Trends and Feedback
Staying Current with Industry Trends
Social media trends shift quickly, and your content needs to keep pace. Stay current by:
- Following Industry Blogs and News Outlets
- Observing Competitors: Monitor how similar brands implement their content strategies and adapt where appropriate.
Encouraging Audience Interaction
Fostering a sense of community is crucial to keep engagement levels high. Encourage followers to participate by:
- Prompting Questions in Posts: Invite your audience to share thoughts or opinions.
- Running Contests or Polls: Engage your audience with giveaways, polls, or contests.
Common Challenges and Solutions in Social Media Marketing
Overcoming Content Creation Difficulties
Consistently producing value-driven content can be challenging, but here are a few solutions:
- Repurposing Content: Turn a blog post into several social media posts or a long video into a series of shorts.
- User-Generated Content: Encourage followers to share content using a hashtag associated with your brand.
Managing Time and Resources
Balancing content creation with other tasks often requires more time than most people have to spare. Here are some ways to mitigate the stress of it all:
- Use Automation Tools: Automate repetitive tasks using social media scheduling tools.
- Batch Content Creation: Set aside time weekly to create and schedule posts.
- Consider Outsourcing: If resources allow, hiring a freelancer or agency can lighten the load and ensure your content stays engaging and relevant.
And there you have it — the 80/20 rule of social media: the secret sauce for a well-balanced, audience-friendly strategy. So, if you’re tired of the constant push to sell, sell, sell, this approach might just be your best friend. Not only does it allow you to share content that your followers genuinely enjoy, but it also helps your promotional messages land with greater impact. Remember, social media success is all about authentic connections. Embrace the 80/20 rule, serve up valuable content, and watch as your engagement, loyalty, and conversion numbers start to soar — without overwhelming your audience.
