Want to master the social media game?
First things first…
1. Define your target audience.
Determining which group, or groups, of people you want to target, will have a huge effect on what kind of content you churn out. A defined target helps you choose relevant hashtags and boosts engagement rates. Give people a reason to follow you. To establish your company as an authority in your industry your focus should be on…
2. Educating.
Your followers want to gain something from you, if you’re not educating them about your industry, they have no reason to follow you. They need to gain some sort of value, not just heaps of pointless links and articles. Design your posts strategically, gradually eliminating the barrier that stands between them is a follower, and them being a customer. But…
3. Don’t try to sell directly!
Nobody likes the “sales-y” approach to social media. Avoid posts like:
“Come see us today…”
“Check out our website…”
Those are the types of accounts that get un-followed on the spot. If that all your account has to offer, constant “look at us, look at us” posts, you won’t resonate with your audience and lose your reputability. So instead…
4. Create and share contagious, engaging content.
Whether you’re creating all of you own content, or sharing another’s, always aim to engage your followers. When posting an interesting article, don’t merely post the link and slap on a few hashtags. Share your thoughts, and encourage your followers to do the same. Focus on…
5. Creating a conversation.
Posts that are designed with co-creation in mind tend to do the best. Come up with relevant questions to ask your followers. Make the conversation meaningful, or have fun with it. Let your followers be creative, and make the content for you. For example, posting “What would be your office superhero name?” stimulates people’s minds and encourages creativity. Or, stick to a more serious post. Ask a controversial question and allow your followers to share their thoughts, and debate one another. Regardless of your route, it’s not a conversation with you…
6. Respond!
Don’t ask questions, get the engagement and interactions you set out to get, and then NOT respond. That leaves those who took time out of their day to write something to you feeling empty or unfulfilled, leading to unwary feelings of your company. Always try to have the last word, people love feeling recognized. The moment you reply, a connection is established. Focus on developing connections into relationships, and sales will soar. People relate more to companies that…
7. Establish a personality.
Humanizing your company, and having a more conversational approach, makes it easier to connect with and engage your followers. While not every single post needs to incorporate this exact persona, consistency important. Taco Bell has capitalized on this concept and has established an excellent personality among their social media channels. Their playful and rebellious attitude resonates with their target audience of 15-25-year-olds, boosting their following and engagement. On top of that, one of the best things Taco Bell does with their social media is…
8. Interact with industry influencers.
Find the people in your area of interest with the highest volumes of followers. These are people with extremely high levels of influence in your industry. Reach out to them, and try to engage in a conversation. Whether you’re condemning them, or applauding them, their inclusion of you in their responding post will result in a wave of followers, boosting your reputation and moving you upwards in the social media community.
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