It is hard these days to find a business that doesn’t use social media in some way. But there are hundreds of companies out there wasting the incredible opportunities that social media gives us. With so much content to sift through, there is no point in making it easy for your customers – and potential customers – to keep scrolling.
It seems as though we use social media for just about everything now. The lines between personal time spent online watching videos and reading the latest Bovada review, blur into time promoting our businesses and forging new work relationships.
That mix of business and pleasure is fine – and actually gives us even greater scope to reach out to promote our businesses. But you have to get the balance right and get it right when it comes to your business on social media. Here are seven tips for being more successful with your social media marketing.
Choose the Right Platform
There is no end of options when it comes to social media platforms but you should do some homework to find out which ones are a better fit for your customers. Take time to consider both your business and your potential customers to understand what kind of content is right for you.
It might depend a little on what kind of industry you work in. But there is nothing stopping you from using Instagram reels to post humorous video content if you can. Just make sure that it will be understood by your viewers and that you are able to get a basic marketing message across on the platforms you choose.
Dial Down the Hard Sell
You want to get more business by marketing through social media. But you do need to be careful that you are not pushing the hard sell too much. The thing to remember here is that social media is not like traditional advertising. Many of the elements are the same but there are some distinct differences to be aware of.
With social media, you don’t have to even try to sell a product or service in the same way as a broadcast ad might. Choose a quota that works for you, but think of one or two in seven posts selling and the others being more content-led. Otherwise, your followers and viewers will soon get tired of your posts and skip the message entirely.
Use Video
You have probably noticed with your own social media browsing that a good visual or video will always stop you in your tracks. Even if the text is potentially very engaging, it is the video that will capture the attention in the first place. So always think about the visual side of your posts as much as the textual information.
You should also think about the kind of visuals you are offering. You don’t have to pay out for state-of-the-art graphics tools but do think about editing and basic creative flourishes. There is a certain level of proficiency that is expected these days and if you don’t have the skills yourself, make sure you pay someone that does.
Build a Community
Although it is good to have hundreds of thousands of followers, it will mean nothing unless you are getting them to engage. Social media allows us an incredible opportunity to grow relationships with potential customers, so we should be doing everything we can to build those communities.
If you can build brand loyalty through your social media output, you will have people eagerly waiting for the next post. Talk to your followers and answer questions quickly. Follow up those conversations to keep the relationships strong and understand that social media is a two-way conversation.
Create a Content Calendar
After identifying your target audience you should make sure that you are being consistent with your social media activity. But one way that you can do that and make sure that you are getting across everything you want to say is by planning a content calendar for the year.
You should never rely on being reactive with your social media posting. By creating a calendar you can map out when the best time is to share – and what to share as well. Plan your posts in advance and strategize as to when the optimum time is to share. You should be able to improve and learn throughout the year.
Check on the Competition
As well as monitoring social media trends to ensure that you are keeping up with the competition, you should also think about monitoring your competitor’s social media output. We are not talking about subterfuge or spying here – just to get an idea of how other companies use their social media.
Take a look at the strategies that are used by companies within your business sector. By seeing what is successful, or not, for others, you can work and adapt your own social media output. You don’t want to be copying other businesses, but take inspiration to go and improve your own.
Make Your Content Worthwhile
This is probably the most important tip of them all. Make sure that you produce social media content that is actually of use – and interest – to your followers and customers. As much as you are advertising your business, you need to make your output worthwhile.
Understanding what kinds of things your followers like is the first step – and an ongoing procedure. By making sure that you are providing value, you will be able to fulfill all the tasks set by the other tips in this article. The popularity of social media is still growing – so make sure that you utilize it well to get the most out of it.
