ARTICLE
Social media ban? Why a diverse content strategy is your safety net
What happens to businesses when social media is banned? Following security concerns, the U.S. government recently banned the popular video-sharing app, TikTok, preventing users from downloading or uploading content until the ban was reversed just twelve hours later.
During this short-lived disruption, many creators, including brands, took to the platform to say their goodbyes, urging followers to move to alternative platforms.
For some brands, such as Duolingo, TikTok has been a significant driver of success. Some viral businesses found themselves scrambling to convince their audience to follow them on alternative channels, highlighting a critical issue: over-reliance on a single marketing channel.
Whilst TikTok’s ban was temporary, it acts as a reminder for businesses to reassess their content strategies as relying on just one channel can leave a brand vulnerable to disruptions. A more resilient marketing approach embraces a diverse content strategy; by leveraging multiple platforms and content types, brands can future-proof their efforts, reach wider audiences, and foster growth.
Risks of relying on one channel
It goes without saying that relying too heavily on one content channel exposes businesses to risk. Social media platforms, for example, are subject to changes outside of our control. Whether it’s a government ban, a shift in algorithms, or platform shutdowns, these external factors can instantly disrupt marketing efforts.
When a platform’s reach is reduced due to an algorithm change or other issues, your content may no longer reach your audience, which impacts sales and brand visibility. Losing access to a platform means starting over elsewhere, often at great cost in both time and resources.
Whether it’s an email marketing provider or a social media channel, if the platform becomes unavailable, the customer acquisition process is disrupted and audience engagement suffers.
Benefits of content diversification
To futureproof against these risks, businesses must vary their content and the platforms they use. By developing a range of content types and distributing them across various channels, you ensure that if one platform fails, you can still drive traffic and maintain engagement.
A diverse content strategy helps establish your brand’s presence across multiple platforms, building credibility and trust with your audience. Additionally, diversification opens up new opportunities to reach different segments of your target market and provides access to a variety of data sources, enhancing your marketing strategies.
How can you create a more diverse content strategy?
Creating a diverse content strategy doesn’t have to be a difficult task. Start with a content audit and assess the platforms and content formats are you currently using, and identify which ones drive the majority of leads or sales. This will help you understand if are overly reliant on one specific channel.
Next, explore alternative platforms to expand your reach and connect with new audiences. It can be tempting to be present on every available platform, but not all of them may be suitable for your target audience so bear this in mind when choosing new channels. Managing multiple social media platforms needs significant resource, so it’s better to focus on a few that are most relevant to your audience and ensure you consistently post great content across those channels.
Another strategy for diversifying your platforms is to leverage owned content, through your website, newsletters, and email marketing. Unlike third-party platforms, owned content gives you full control over your audience and messaging, free from algorithm changes. Plus, you can repurpose content across various channels, for example a blog post can be adapted into a LinkedIn article.
By implementing a diverse content strategy across a variety of platforms, brands avoid putting their ‘eggs in one basket’ and will have a well-rounded content marketing strategy that maximises reach.
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