Today, we’re revisiting Social Media 101: Be. Social. Posting content and then resting on your laurels is no longer enough. Your audience craves engagement. They need to know you are there in real time, or they don’t see you as credible.
Your fans and followers (a.k.a. your potential clients) want to talk to you, they want to hear your voice, and they want to interact with your brand. If you are looking to increase your engagement and reach, follow these quick tips and watch your visibility soar.
Use a call to action
Ask your audience to DO something. i.e.:
Share this post with___, because___, if you want to achieve…
Visit my website.
Tag a friend.
Comment below.
Make sure you are clear on the action you want them to take, and only give ONE action. Use urgency to entice your audience to act – phrases like deadline, limited time, and last chance encourage users to move.
A call to action hands the reigns to your followers, which increases engagement by putting them in the driver seat.
Be social
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but it is often the most overlooked method of increasing engagement: like, comment on, and share other posts and pages. Retweet. Repost. Double tap. This draws attention to your brand and encourages others to reciprocate. Show your audience you’re not a self-centered enterprise solely looking to increase profit margins, but a brand that is genuinely interested in supporting its community.
Create shareable content
There’s content, and then there is CONTENT: the kind that makes users stop aimlessly scrolling through their feeds to read/watch/view what you’ve posted. Whether it’s funny, newsworthy, or educational, this kind of content is of the variety that users are likely to share. Don’t hesitate to share content from other sources; even if you weren’t the author, it still establishes your credibility in your industry. Post content that is of real value to your audience and you’re likely to see an increase in shares.
Cross promote
Use Instagram to draw followers’ attention to Twitter. Use your Facebook Live or Instagram Stories to mention your other social media accounts and encourage watchers to follow. List your social media profiles on your website, and make sure you use social sharing buttons on your blog so users can easily spread your expertise.
Expert Tip: Make sure you tell readers WHY they should follow you elsewhere.
Instead of: “Connect with me on Facebook!”
A more effective approach is: “For daily time-saving and productivity hacks, follow my Facebook page.” or “Get exclusive insider tax-saving tips by following my Instagram account.”
Be you
At the end of the day, your audience is after connection, and they can’t connect to a logo, a building, or a company. People connect with people. Yes, if you’re using your social media as your business, you want to remain professional on on brand. But if you don’t add a human personality – a real person with ideas, opinions, emotions – you’ll find your account lacking in engagement.
Add your unique character to your posts, and you will quickly enjoy a surge of engagement from people who are likely to be your ideal target audience.
