Yes, there’s a lot of planning when it comes to setting up a successful social media strategy, but the ability to improvise is just as important. If you’re familiar with improvisational comedy, sometimes called “improv,” you know that coming up with great material on spot is easier said than done. Still, there are some good lessons to be gleaned from the world of improv that can make your strategy that much stronger.
“Yes, and…”
One of the first rules you learn in improv is to accept the reality your scene partners are trying to make and build on it (aptly summed up as the “Yes, and…” rule). Imagine an actor walking into a scene with the line “This spaceship is about to crash!” You can either accept that first line as a fact and start building a story together, or you can shoot it down with “What do you mean? We’re at the mall.” The latter response is a scene killer, with two conflicting intentions putting the nail in the coffin before your scene gets off the ground.
The same can be said about your social media strategy. By reacting positively to the direction your followers start you off in, you can start building a longer, stronger narrative together. Once you’ve said “yes,” don’t forget to build on their original ideas with your own contributions so that followers are incentivized to keep engaging with you.
Support your partners
While some parts of a scene about you, they’re just as much about the dynamic you’re a part of. The same is true about your presence through social media. If you’re only concerned with how many people follow what you publish, you’re missing the other side of the equation. Support your online community by the following individual users, chiming in on what they have to say and supporting the endeavors that they’re trying to promote.
Tell stories
A classic pitfall of comedic improv is to feel the need to rattle off a bunch of jokes that never add up to anything. In the same way, you don’t want the messages you publish to exist in a vacuum. Remember that everything you put out there is part of a multi-faceted, ongoing narrative. It’s good to concentrate on details, but you should never lose focus when it comes the the driving narrative you’re trying to share.
Be spontaneous, flexible
Having a game plan is incredibly important, but don’t be so dogmatic about sticking to your strategy. You could risk coming off as inflexible, standoffish and even stubborn. Instead, open yourself to the possibility that once you get in the game, things are bound to change. By being receptive to an ever-changing online environment, you can guarantee that you’ll be a dynamic player, ready to explore new and exciting directions in your story building.
Listen
Finally, make sure your ears are always open to what your scene partners have to say. They might be feeding you important clues about where they’d like to take the narrative. When you listen carefully, the stories you tell in any medium will become more memorable, detailed and enriching. People will also feel that you’re present, accessible and transparent.
A strategy doesn’t always have to be a strict blueprint you never stray from. Be open to the possibilites that are happening around you and you’ll be ready to thrive in the world of social media, where dynamic storytelling is the key to success.
