Do You Say ‘Vanity Metrics’ like it’s a Thing? Are you Sure it is Though?
Recently, I started working more closely than ever with the social media team at Khatabook. By ‘working closely’, I mean, getting my hands dirty by taking up execution, deep-diving into the creation of social media calendars, boosting, analytics — even captions!
Although I never held any reservations about Social Media Marketing, the experience of working with a more hands-on approach on it unlocked a whole new worldview for me. I realised that while peeking into this world of posts and stories from the window of my phone, I was barely noticing the hard work that it takes to make it so appealing. It’s so easy to miss even though it’s common knowledge that all creation takes hard work.
Is Social Media Content Created in ‘Moments’ that they Market So Easily?
Whether it’s mindless scrolling that I am doing or looking for entertainment, it’s a result of someone creating a little something. And if you’ve ever created a good-enough (not just popular enough) piece of content, you know the kind of process it is. It involves thoughts left out to ripen, then beating them to pulp to make them juicy, adding flavours that hit the audience just right, before you finally pour them out in a plate that befits the occasion (or glass, who drinks juice out of a plate anyway!?).
People who do this on social media, more often than not, do it in a matter of hours, sometimes minutes. So they are a distinct class of experts. The way content happens in their heads, is as optimised as content creation gets.
What’s so Special about it Anyway?
I am not glorifying the job. Social Media is not a job. It becomes your life if you’re into it. If you’re in social media and you’re doing a decent job at it, believe me when I say this — you’re working 24/7. You’re always on the lookout for the latest updates, news and designs. You’re drawing parallels with your brand no matter where you consume your content. There is no other way to do it but to be at the top of your creative game.
I have had my best designers ping me in the middle of the night on a weekend to capture a trend, or to show me a great post that they saw. Not just my social media copywriters or strategists but the designers who know they might end up accommodating painstakingly unforeseen ‘changes’ or ‘requests’ to make a post barely resembling the idea that they originally had in their heads!
This is why people who do social media need no glorification. They deserve our utmost respect.
While we’re on the subject, let’s clarify one more thing. Why you’ll find your social media team overexcited about new ideas is not because it’s their jobs, but because it leaves them fascinated and fulfilled at the same time. I have experienced this feeling first hand recently and if you’ve ever shared a good post or a story, you have been there too.
In social media lies the beauty of creation. It is in the bewitchingly exceeded expectations from a post that performs well, sometimes heartbreaking metrics and sometimes bewildering numbers. The assessment of these analytics leads your social media team to only move forward with unparalleled practicality and not whims or risks or chances.
Your social media team knows their audience better because they touch their hearts, educate them and care for them deeply. Now that kind of insanity cannot stem from a place of ‘vanity’.
P.S. No pressure on social media teams to ooze with ideas at all times. Remember, all creative processes need ripened thoughts. And before that happens, those thoughts take time to emerge from nourished trees, not stress. :)
Share this post with your teammates to appreciate them. Also, share with anyone who’s ever dismissed anyone’s work by terming it ‘vanity’.
