What is the 70 20 10 rule in social media?

The 70-20-10 rule in social media is a content strategy framework that suggests allocating your social media efforts in a specific ratio: 70% educational or entertaining content, 20% shared content, and 10% promotional content. This approach aims to build audience engagement and trust before pushing sales.

Understanding the 70-20-10 Rule for Social Media Success

In the dynamic world of social media marketing, a balanced content strategy is crucial for sustained growth and audience connection. The 70-20-10 rule provides a practical framework to achieve this balance. It guides you on how to distribute your content types to maximize engagement, build authority, and ultimately drive conversions without overwhelming your audience with constant sales pitches.

What Exactly is the 70-20-10 Content Ratio?

This popular content marketing model, often adapted for social media, breaks down your content creation and distribution into three key percentages. It’s a guideline, not a rigid law, designed to ensure your social media presence is valuable and engaging. By following this ratio, you can foster a stronger community and establish yourself as a trusted source.

• 70% Value-Driven Content: This is the core of your strategy. It focuses on providing educational, entertaining, or inspiring content that directly benefits your audience. Think how-to guides, industry insights, behind-the-scenes glimpses, user-generated content features, or even lighthearted, relatable posts. The goal here is to build trust and establish expertise.

• 20% Curated or Shared Content: This segment involves sharing content from other reputable sources within your niche. It demonstrates that you are connected to your industry and can provide a broader perspective. This can include articles, infographics, or posts from influencers and complementary brands. It also shows you’re not just talking about yourself.

• 10% Promotional Content: This is where you talk about your products or services. It’s essential for driving sales, but by keeping it to a minimum, you avoid appearing overly salesy. This could be announcing a new product, a special offer, or a service update. The idea is that by the time people see your promotions, they already trust and value your brand.

Why is the 70-20-10 Rule Effective for Social Media?

The effectiveness of the 70-20-10 rule lies in its ability to prioritize audience needs. People are on social media to connect, learn, and be entertained, not primarily to be sold to. By consistently delivering value, you attract and retain followers. This builds a loyal community that is more receptive when you do introduce promotional content.

This strategy helps to:

• Increase Engagement: Valuable content naturally encourages likes, comments, and shares.
• Build Brand Authority: Consistently sharing helpful information positions you as an expert.
• Foster Community: Engaging with and featuring your audience creates a sense of belonging.
• Improve Conversion Rates: A trusting audience is more likely to purchase from you.
• Avoid Audience Fatigue: Less frequent promotions prevent followers from becoming desensitized or annoyed.

Implementing the 70-20-10 Rule in Your Social Media Strategy

Putting the 70-20-10 rule into practice requires thoughtful planning. It’s about understanding your audience’s interests and tailoring your content accordingly.

Planning Your 70% Value Content

This is your opportunity to shine. Brainstorm topics that address your audience’s pain points, answer their questions, or offer them a unique perspective.

• Educational: Tutorials, tips, industry news analysis, explainer videos.
• Entertaining: Behind-the-scenes looks, humor, relatable memes, interactive polls.
• Inspiring: Success stories, motivational quotes, user spotlights.

Strategic Curation for Your 20%

When sharing content from others, ensure it aligns with your brand values and is relevant to your audience. Always give credit to the original source.

• Industry Leaders: Share insights from recognized experts.
• Complementary Businesses: Cross-promote with non-competing brands.
• News Outlets: Share relevant industry news with your commentary.

Crafting Your 10% Promotional Content

Make your promotional content count. Ensure it’s clear, concise, and offers a compelling reason to act.

• Product Demos: Showcase your product in action.
• Limited-Time Offers: Create urgency with special deals.
• New Feature Announcements: Highlight what’s new and exciting.

Examples of the 70-20-10 Rule in Action

Let’s imagine a small artisanal coffee shop using this rule on Instagram:

• 70% Value:

  • A Reel showing how to brew the perfect pour-over at home.
  • An Instagram Story poll asking followers about their favorite brewing methods.
  • A carousel post detailing the origin story of their new single-origin bean.
  • A post featuring a customer enjoying their coffee with a positive review.

• 20% Shared Content:

  • Resharing an article from a reputable coffee blog about latte art techniques.
  • Sharing a post from a local bakery that partners with them for pastries.
  • Retweeting a tweet from a coffee farmer about sustainable sourcing.

• 10% Promotional:

  • A post announcing a "Buy One, Get One Free" deal on their signature latte for the weekend.
  • An Instagram Story highlighting their new seasonal pastry pairing.
  • A post showcasing their branded merchandise, like reusable coffee cups.

This approach ensures the coffee shop is seen as a knowledgeable and friendly community hub, not just a place to buy coffee.

Adapting the 70-20-10 Rule for Different Platforms

While the core principle remains the same, the execution can vary across platforms.

| Facebook | Community building, Q&As, long-form posts, stories | Relevant articles, partner content, community news | Event promotion, sales