Posting the same content across all social media platforms is like offering the same menu at a fast food joint, gourmet restaurant, and a cafe. It doesn’t cater to the unique tastes and expectations of the audience.
In this article, I’ll share why you must tailor your social content to each network and give actionable advice for each platform.
Do you need different content for every social media platform?
Yes and no. Cross-posting social media content across platforms with similar needs and algorithms is A-OK. For example, Instagram Reels and TikTok videos have an overlapping content format. They also often share trends. The expectations of the audiences on both channels are also somewhat identical. Re-sharing the same content here with minimal touch up is a no-brainer (and more efficient!).
Creator Emily McDonald is an excellent example of consistently cross-posting relevant content. Here’s a video she posted about visualization on Instagram that she also cross-posted on her TikTok account.
On the other hand, Instagram and LinkedIn have little crossover. The audience’s expectations vary widely — Instagram is for fun, LinkedIn is for work. Instagram is a photo and video sharing app, while LinkedIn also thrives on text-based posts. Your social media management needs different kinds of content and varying content types for each platform.
The answer to this question also depends on your social media goals. Different types of social media platforms might fulfill different business needs. For example, you might use LinkedIn to attract talent while TikTok to build brand awareness & acquire customers. The content strategy for both platforms will differ based on your goals.
But when I say you need “different,” I don’t mean “unique.”
“Different” content≄“unique” content
Posting different content across social platforms doesn’t mean you need to create unique social media posts for each network. (Also: That’s exhausting.)
You can take one idea and adapt it to different social media networks. For example, for repurposing content at Buffer, we often use the Remix mobile app to turn our tweets into aesthetic visuals for Instagram. Here’s a recent Twitter thread by Sophie Gil that we converted into an Instagram post.
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel for every social channel; you just need to adapt your content type and delivery to the platform. Ask yourself: “What type of content format delivers the best results for this social media channel?” and convert one idea into multiple tailored posts for each network.
