Becoming a Cross-Posting Expert In 2024: Your Key to Social Media Success

Cross-posting is when a company posts the same message across several networks. If you’re a social media specialist or marketer, learning what cross-posting is, how to use it effectively and when to consider alternative options can help you enhance your social media performance.

In this article, we explain what cross-posting is, discuss when teams may benefit from it, explain how to cross-post successfully, review some alternative options and provide some cross-posting best practices to consider.

What is cross-posting?

Cross-posting involves posting the same message, announcement or information across several platforms. Businesses may use cross-posting to promote their brand, attract customers, raise awareness about an active sale or promotion and save time on advertising.

Companies can cross-post across the same network by posting repeated content and information to the same website, or they can cross-post across different networks, like social media platforms and professional networking websites.

Cross-posting vs. multi-posting

Cross-posting differs from multi-posting because multi-posting involves posting an identical message across several platforms. Individuals who take part in multi-posting typically copy the same message and transfer it across several online forums, while individuals who use cross-posting don’t copy the same message. Instead, they copy similar information and repeated content in their messages.

Teams that may benefit from cross-posting

If your team has any of the following qualities, cross-posting may be a good strategy:

• Lower social media marketing budget

• Less time to contribute to developing social media

• Team members with multiple responsibilities

• Work with new brands and products

How to use cross-posting effectively

These are some steps you can follow to use cross-posting effectively when managing social media accounts:

1. Create quality content to post

When creating content for cross-posting on social media, it’s important that you include high-quality information for the reader. These are some things to consider when creating quality content for your social media platforms:

• Be conversational. When writing posts, try to use a conversational tone that engages the audience, because doing so can help attract consumers by helping them feel that you’re talking directly to them in your posts. To have a more conversational writing tone, write in short sentences, use present tense voice and ask questions that intrigue the audience.

• Include specific data. Adding specific data in your posts keeps them from appearing automated and generic, and can help them be more personal and up to date. Consider including specific data about the weather, seasons, upcoming holidays or major sporting events.

• Assess other posts. Once you create a new post, compare it to other posts on your page and on other brands’ pages. If you find the message contains repeated language or redundant information, consider removing it and adding new content.

Read More: Top 8 Free Online Platforms For Learning Content Writing

2. Modify each post for its platform

Different social media platforms have varying requirements and formatting for posts. When cross-posting, you can maximize quality by optimizing each post according to the platform. These are two steps you can take to maximize content quality according to the platform:

• Use a new call to action. You can try to tailor the call to action based on which network you’re using. For example, if you’re using a professional networking site, you may use a call to action that involves signing up for your company’s monthly newsletter, and if you’re using a social media network, you might use a call to action that involves checking out your company’s website.

• Make changes to current messages. When cross-posting, consider deleting information from the original message that isn’t as relevant and adding valuable content that makes the message stand out on its own, like adding fresh vocabulary or new information.

3. Edit each post prior to posting

Editing is an essential part of creating unique posts so that you can identify any issues within the post before it’s uploaded. Watch out for keywords that are used throughout several of your posts to ensure you’re using fresh language. A good way to edit is to have a trusted colleague read your post to check for any overused language, spelling errors, grammar issues or formatting errors.

Alternatives to cross-posting

Instead of cross-posting, try these methods to help you promote information while keeping each post unique:

Create posts according to the network

When creating posts, analyze the network you’re posting on to better understand which information fits best with that type of network. This can help you share fresh information in each post. Some networks are more professional networking sites, while other networks are more relaxed and fun. Try looking at other posts on each website to get a feel for the general format.

Write a new message for each network

Businesses can avoid cross-posting by creating new messages for each network they post on. When crafting a new message, it’s okay to use information from other messages. To achieve the most effective posts, be sure to vary the language you use so you’re not repeating any content. Using fresh content when posting advertisements can help consumers feel engaged.

Optimize content for the platform

Some networks have a specific niche that you can use to your advantage while posting. This can help you keep your message unique and allows you to post different content to each network. Try posting content that flows well with the network’s niche, which can optimize your content and ensure your messages connect with consumers.

For example, since Instagram involves posting photos, you can post photos that showcase your company’s products, services or location. Since LinkedIn highlights professional achievements, consider posting any awards or accomplishments your company has achieved, like community awards, grants or professional recognition.

Best practices for cross-posting

If you choose to cross-post on several social media accounts, it’s important that you create quality content. These are some best practices for cross-posting:

• Modify your language. Different platforms use different terms to refer to the functions and users within the platform. Be sure to change your language so you’re not asking someone to “follow” when it may be better to ask them to “subscribe.”

• Format images correctly. Social media platforms all have different optimizations for their visual content, so it’s important to ensure you’re posting images that are the correct size so that they’re visually appealing. Many networks and platforms provide information about how to optimize content that you can use to ensure you’re formatting images correctly.

• Avoid automatic posting. When you use automatic cross-posting features, you can eliminate important parts of your post, like the image or your content. If you choose to cross-post, doing so manually can help you ensure you’re providing quality content.

• Post a few times a week. Rather than posting every day, posting a few times a week can help your posts seem more varied. Posting only a few times per week can make your messages seem more special.

• Switch out your keywords. Many companies have a set of keywords they use when creating posts, and switching up the keywords used in your posts can help your content be more unique. To change your keywords, gather previous posts to understand which keywords you have used the most, then try to find a word similar to that keyword that still holds the same meaning.