When executed properly, your social media strategy can take your business to new heights. Social media has the ability to expand your brand awareness, increase your customer base, and build an active, engaged community of loyal followers- but you have to know how to play the game.
The brands that bring the best ROI from their social media efforts are the ones that stay active, consistently produce valuable content, and strive to build meaningful relationships with their followers.
It takes time, and it’s not always easy- but it’s well worth it!
Here are 10 steps you can take to build a stronger social media presence:
- Join multiple platforms.
Please note- that doesn’t say “join ALL platforms.” You want to stick with ones that meet your goals and target audience specifications, but the more platforms you’re on, the more audience exposure you’ll get. - Build out your profile and optimize it.
Your social media profile can provide a wealth of information to potential customers- as long as you complete it! Don’t skimp on the details. Create a captivating bio and make use of the “about” info to share what makes your business special and unique. Include relevant keywords to help new followers find your business. - Post consistently!
The worst thing you can do with your social media is post sporadically. If you don’t post regularly and reliably, your followers will forget about you. Create a content calendar that helps you stay on track and present a variety of content. At least one post per day is a good rule to follow, though some platforms like Twitter perform better with multiple posts per day. - Produce quality content.
Don’t waste your followers’ time with junk. Earn their loyalty with content that is valuable, helpful, and engaging. Provide helpful tips, how-to videos, blogs or posts on relevant or trending topics, and interesting white papers. - Limit sales posts.
Businesses use social media to make money- that’s no secret. But the fastest way to turn off followers is to post sales pitch after sales pitch. You can offer deals and promote special offers, but the vast majority of your content should be geared towards providing value or help to your audience, not making a sale. - Use high-quality visuals.
Posts that include images perform far better than posts without. You should include professional-quality photos, graphics, and videos whenever possible. Stock images are okay, but original imagery is even better. - Create a signature style.
Your goal should be to make your brand instantly recognizable, and that means you need a signature style and voice that’s consistent across all platforms. Choose profile pictures and cover photos that represent your brand’s look and use them on all your social media profiles. Posts should be conversational and written in your style and tone. - Focus on building relationships.
Social media is the most powerful relationship building tool in your toolkit. It allows you to engage with your customers in real time and foster a meaningful connection, but you have to stay on the ball! Respond to comments, thank customers for sharing, ask questions and respond to replies. This is the key to building a loyal community of followers. - Make it easy for followers to find you.
Include social media links or buttons on your website, business cards, and email signatures. - Monitor your progress.
Use the analytics tools provided on each platform to judge the success of your social media efforts. When you see high levels of engagement, pinpoint the topics and formats your audience responds favorably to so you can do more of it.
A strong social media presence is vital to the success of your business. If you’d like to learn more about stepping up your social media marketing, let’s talk!
