First and foremost, create strong content
Research suggests that for content to work – on social or otherwise – it needs to evoke a strong emotional reaction in someone. No matter what your brand is, or what you’re selling, consider trying to make that reaction positive. Inspirational posts that trade on a positive message are always a good idea, as are aspirational ideals that people can aspire to.
Next, consider enlisting the help of an influencer to amplify your sell. Influencers are relatively inexpensive (as opposed to traditional film and TV celebrities) and their traction is often just as useful.
Finally, make use of a posting schedule. A posting schedule is a calendar on which you plot out what and when you’re going to write/broadcast, and when you’re going to do it. This will help you not only A) vary your output but B) remain consistent. And in the end, consistency is often the difference-maker.
As an aside, it’s always helpful to make use of hashtags. Look for tags that are popular on Instagram and try to position your content in such a way that it tallies up with what’s hot. Here is a great video from Social Media Examiner that dives into the use of Hashtags.
Next, engage with your audience in an organic way
This strategy works best on Twitter and Instagram. In short, follow, comment and like the posts of your followers. Build up a rapport with them. In the process, you’ll feed into a network effect, one in which the friends of followers start to take an interest in your profile.
Share what you’re creating
Looking to make a splash on Facebook and Linkedin? In these markets, you’ll want to share posts to relevant groups.
On Facebook, hit the Groups icon, then search for something specific, or enjoy curated options when you tap the “Discover” button.
On LinkedIn, head here – https://www.linkedin.com/groups/ – and then discover places to share your work.
These strategies will make a noticeable difference to your level of visibility and the following you end up with.
Implement a paid ad strategy
Paid social is a powerful tool in the right hands. The two platforms to target? Instagram and Facebook. Since they’re both owned by Zuckerberg’s billion-dollar holding company, these ad tools work in similar ways.
For a step by step guide to getting started, scan Google for a plethora of articles on the topic. But here’s the skinny: beyond setting up the ad, what you really want to do is accurately target the right audience.
Location, age, gender, language, interest and behaviors are all toggles that you can set to your desired preference. In fact, you can even trigger ads to people who are similar to your existing customers.
Struggling? The social media giants will broadcast your ads to people they believe will take a liking to your product/business.
There’s absolutely no reason not to at least experiment with paid-for social. Even if you don’t increase engagement, you’ll receive more eyeballs and, with luck, convert potential customers in the process.
Again, like the point about influencers above, paid-for social is a lot cheaper than “traditional” advertising. A 30-second TV spot is a great deal more costly and a lot less targeted. In other words, with this strategy, you’re more likely to hit the right people at a fraction of the price.
Don’t spread yourself too thin
TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook… there are a lot of social media platforms out there, including a few lesser-known names on the block. Our advice? Don’t spread yourself too thin. Concentrate on the one or two platforms you’re familiar with and can really own. If you want to be on every platform from a brand credibility standpoint, consider using a platform like Hootsuite to schedule posts across the board. This will at least save you time and allow you to concentrate on some of the pointers outlined above.