So you “do” social media. How's that working for you?
“You don’t have a Facebook page?”
“You have a business but you don’t Tweet?”
“Everyone has an Instagram account – how can you not?”
“How do you expect to grow your business without social media?”
You probably heard similar comments in the past. So you signed up for Facebook. You created Twitter and Instagram accounts. And you post on occasion about your new product or service. You are a social media maven now, right?
Wrong. For social media to help grow your business, it takes engagement. And engagement takes time, effort and planning. Here are 10 tips to help boost social media engagement:
Plan ahead – set aside time once a week to develop interesting content for the following week
Timing is key – schedule your messages during peak times to increase your reach
Target your content to your audience
Use graphics in all your posts – imagery boosts engagement
Video is King – include video, and make sure your message notes why your audience should watch it/what will it do for them
Show a little personality in your posts – people love to be entertained, not sold to
Use hashtags – they will help build your audience
Tag people or companies referenced in your messaging – it creates backlinks
Ask your audience questions – solicit advice, ideas, likes and dislikes
Post an industry relevant article – and ask for a reaction
Building a following on social media doesn’t happen overnight, nor will it happen if you don’t give your audience a reason to like, follow, share content or interact with you on your pages. Follow these simple steps, and make your social media efforts work for you.