Avoiding the Link in Bio Trap: Different content for different social channels

Social media tools make it all too easy to create content once and automatically share it to every social media outlet imaginable. As convenient as that sounds, it doesn't take full advantage of the strengths of each platform, it doesn't show your message in the best possible light and it's downright disrespectful to your followers on each channel. (As an example, we've all seen those posts full of Instagram handles, hashtags and "click the link in bio" suggestions on platforms where none of those make sense.)

We'll explore some of the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of a variety of social media platforms, talk about what users on each platform expect and consider how we can most authentically and effectively reach our audiences, without too much duplication of effort.

1. Avoiding the “Link in bio” Trap Different content for different social channels Mark H. Anbinder Cornell University @mhaithaca he/him #SCS4 #HEWeb24

2. What’s wrong with this picture?

3. Or this picture?

4. Or this picture?

5. Adapting your content for platform and audience Is our content going on more than one platform? Which ones? How will our audience consume our content? Who's looking at what we’re creating?

6. The pitfalls of auto-sharing to multiple platforms at once Instagram is one of the biggest reasons for, and perpetrators of, messes like this. No one cares about hashtags on Facebook. (Except Meta.) Those Instagram user tags may or may not do anything, but they sure are unreadable.

7. The pitfalls of auto-sharing to multiple platforms at once Hashtags. Instagram user tag. Link in bio? Huh? What bio? Instagram’s persistent lack of link support (except in stories) is inexplicable

8. What are some ways around this? The Meta Business Suite for Facebook and Instagram

9. What are some ways around this? Auto-share, but update afterwards

10. What are some ways around this? That old standby: Copy and Paste

11. What are some ways around this? Take advantage of each platform’s capabilities

12. How about a wall of text vs. an intro and a link to more?

13. Or a picture of text vs. an intro and a link to more?

14. Where are your users viewing your content? On a phone? Vertical video (ugh) and images might just make sense. Think about framing accordingly.

15. Where are your users viewing your content? On a phone? Vertical video (ugh) and images might just make sense. Think about framing accordingly. On a laptop? Horizontal video and images better fit the average human perception. 👀 On Instagram? Square images are the rule, but... On TikTok? Don’t even think about a horizontal video. Link previews? Cover photos? Will be displayed as horizontal whether you like it or not.

16. Where are your users viewing your content? Try to keep in mind the expectations of each social platform’s users before posting. Yes, web content should be adapted to the primary audience and its tools, too! 95% on phones? Maybe we need pithier (briefer) text and more document structure, such as section headings.

17. Think about how to express our authentic voice Impromptu images and messages often resonate better than carefully staged or crafted. How many platforms can we reach at once? How many can we also listen on? Committing to YouTube or TikTok takes time. BeReal’s random post prompt is hard to plan for.

18. What are the basics? Think about what each audience expects Think about what each platform supports Consider how a little effort can adapt what you need to say to each place you need to say it

19. Avoiding the “Link in bio” Trap Different content for different social channels Mark H. Anbinder Cornell University @mhaithaca he/him Thanks for being here!