NGCS: Dominate TikTok & Emerging Social Media Now

Mastering Social Media Strategies with Next-Gen Content Studio (NGCS)

Are you ready to move beyond the usual suspects and explore the next wave of social media marketing? With the rise of platforms like TikTok and the growing appeal of decentralized social networks, your strategy needs to adapt. Content Studio is designed to help you do just that. Are you ready to discover how NGCS can help you dominate these emerging channels and build a stronger, more engaged audience?

Step 1: Setting Up Your NGCS Account and Connecting Platforms

1.1 Account Creation

First, navigate to Next-Gen Content Studio and click the “Start Free Trial” button. You’ll be prompted to enter your email, create a password, and provide basic business information. Be sure to select the “Pro” plan to unlock access to the advanced analytics and emerging platform integrations we’ll be using today. I had a client last year who tried to get away with the basic plan and was surprised when they couldn’t access TikTok analytics. Don’t make the same mistake.

Pro Tip: Use a company email address for better security and team collaboration.

1.2 Connecting Your Social Media Accounts

1. Once logged in, you’ll see the main dashboard. On the left sidebar, click “Connections.”
2. Click the “+ Add Account” button. A window will pop up with a list of available platforms.
3. Select the platforms you want to connect. For this tutorial, we’ll focus on connecting TikTok and Mastodon, but the process is similar for other networks.
4. For TikTok, you’ll be redirected to the TikTok login page. Authorize NGCS to access your account. You’ll need to grant permissions for content posting, analytics, and audience insights.
5. For Mastodon, you’ll need to enter your instance URL (e.g., mastodon.social) and authorize NGCS.

Common Mistake: Forgetting to grant all necessary permissions. Without full permissions, NGCS won’t be able to pull complete analytics data or schedule posts effectively.

Expected Outcome: All selected social media accounts will be listed under the “Connections” section with a “Connected” status.

Step 2: TikTok Content Scheduling and Optimization

2.1 Creating a TikTok Post

1. In the left sidebar, click “Content Calendar.”
2. Click the “+ New Post” button.
3. In the “Compose” window, select your TikTok account from the “Select Account” dropdown.
4. Upload your video or image. NGCS supports videos up to 60 seconds in length and various image formats.
5. Write your caption. NGCS provides a character counter to ensure you stay within TikTok’s limits.
6. Add relevant hashtags. NGCS has a built-in hashtag suggestion tool. Click the “Suggest Hashtags” button to get recommendations based on your caption and content.
7. Select your desired posting time and date.
8. Click “Schedule.”

Pro Tip: Use NGCS’s “Best Time to Post” feature, accessible via the calendar view, to schedule your content when your audience is most active. A Sprout Social report found that the best times to post on TikTok vary significantly by industry, so it’s worth testing different times to see what works best for your audience.

2.2 TikTok Analytics and Reporting

1. In the left sidebar, click “Analytics.”
2. Select your TikTok account from the “Select Account” dropdown.
3. NGCS provides a range of TikTok analytics, including:
   • Overview: Key metrics like followers, views, likes, comments, and shares.
   • Content Performance: Performance of individual posts, including engagement rates and reach.
   • Audience Insights: Demographics, interests, and behavior of your audience.
4. Use the date range selector to analyze data over specific periods.
5. Click “Export Report” to download your data in CSV or PDF format.

Common Mistake: Only looking at vanity metrics like follower count. Focus on engagement rate and reach to understand the true impact of your content.

Expected Outcome: A comprehensive understanding of your TikTok performance, allowing you to optimize your content strategy. I had a client who thought their TikTok strategy was a failure because their videos only got a few thousand views. But when we looked at the engagement rate, it was sky-high, and they were driving a ton of traffic to their website. Numbers can be deceiving.

Step 3: Engaging on Decentralized Social Networks (Mastodon)

3.1 Composing and Scheduling Mastodon Posts

1. In the left sidebar, click “Content Calendar.”
2. Click the “+ New Post” button.
3. Select your Mastodon account from the “Select Account” dropdown.
4. Write your post. Keep in mind that Mastodon posts are called “toots” and have a character limit.
5. Add relevant hashtags. Mastodon uses hashtags for discoverability.
6. Select your desired posting time and date.
7. Click “Schedule.”

Pro Tip: Participate in relevant conversations on Mastodon to increase your visibility. Use the platform’s search function to find relevant topics and engage with other users. The Fediverse is all about community, so be a good neighbor.

3.2 Monitoring Mastodon Engagement

1. In the left sidebar, click “Social Inbox.”
2. Select your Mastodon account from the “Select Account” dropdown.
3. The Social Inbox displays all mentions, replies, and interactions related to your Mastodon account.
4. Respond to comments and messages promptly to build relationships with your audience.

Common Mistake: Treating Mastodon like Twitter. Mastodon is a different beast. It’s more community-focused and less about broadcasting. Focus on building relationships and participating in conversations.

Expected Outcome: Increased engagement and a stronger presence on Mastodon.

Step 4: Building Custom Reports Across Platforms

4.1 Creating a New Report

1. In the left sidebar, click “Reports.”
2. Click the “+ New Report” button.
3. Give your report a name (e.g., “Cross-Platform Performance”).
4. Select the platforms you want to include in the report (e.g., TikTok, Mastodon, Instagram).

4.2 Adding Metrics to Your Report

1. Click the “+ Add Metric” button.
2. Choose the metrics you want to track. NGCS offers a wide range of metrics, including:
   • Follower growth
   • Reach
   • Engagement rate
   • Website clicks
   • Conversions
3. Customize the report layout. You can choose from different chart types (e.g., line charts, bar charts, pie charts) and arrange the metrics as you see fit.

4.3 Scheduling and Sharing Reports

1. Set a schedule for your report to be generated automatically (e.g., weekly, monthly).
2. Enter the email addresses of the people you want to share the report with.
3. Click “Save and Schedule.”

Pro Tip: Create different reports for different purposes. For example, you might create one report for tracking overall brand awareness and another for measuring the ROI of your social media campaigns. A IAB report highlights the importance of tying social media metrics to business outcomes, so focus on the metrics that matter most to your bottom line.

Common Mistake: Overwhelming your team with too much data. Focus on the key metrics that are relevant to their roles and responsibilities.

Expected Outcome: Automated reports that provide a clear and concise overview of your social media performance across all platforms.

Step 5: Advanced Features and Integrations

5.1 AI-Powered Content Creation

NGCS now includes an AI content generator. To access it, click “AI Assist” from the main dashboard. You can input a topic, target audience, and desired tone, and the AI will generate several draft posts for you. I find it especially helpful for brainstorming ideas when I’m feeling stuck. It’s not perfect, but it’s a great starting point. Just remember to always review and edit the AI-generated content to ensure it aligns with your brand voice.

5.2 Social Listening and Trend Analysis

NGCS integrates with several social listening tools. To set up social listening, go to “Settings” and then “Integrations.” Connect your preferred social listening tool (Brandwatch, Mentionlytics, etc.). Once connected, you can monitor brand mentions, track trending topics, and identify potential influencers directly within NGCS. This is invaluable for understanding what people are saying about your brand and identifying opportunities to engage in relevant conversations.

5.3 Team Collaboration

NGCS allows for multiple users with different permission levels. To add team members, go to “Settings” and then “Team.” You can assign roles such as “Admin,” “Editor,” and “Viewer” to control access to different features and data. This is essential for ensuring that your social media strategy is aligned across your entire team.

Ultimately, the key to success with social media strategies (with an emphasis on emerging platforms like TikTok and alternative platforms to established ones) lies in understanding your audience and adapting your content to their preferences. By using NGCS, you can gain valuable insights into your audience, create engaging content, and track your performance across all platforms. But here’s what nobody tells you: the tools only work if you put in the work. Don’t expect NGCS to magically transform your social media presence. It’s a powerful tool, but it’s up to you to wield it effectively.

Ready to stop just posting and start performing? Start by connecting one emerging platform to NGCS and scheduling three pieces of content this week. Track the results and see for yourself how NGCS can transform your marketing efforts. To ensure you’re set up for success, read our guide on marketing for entrepreneurs, and build a solid strategy.

Also, don’t forget to adapt your content marketing to suit the evolving landscape.

Finally, for expert insights, check out these marketing expert interviews to get ahead.