Social media: Everybody is on it, but how many people are following your business? If people aren’t reading the messages you promote, and if people are bouncing off your social media pages without really engaging, then you might be wasting both your time and money.
Of course, the number of people following you on social media is not the only thing to care about because the quality of your followers definitely counts. Having thousands of followers that are all bots is not in anyones best interest. It makes no sense to have thousands of followers who don’t actually interact with you, buy from you, or care about your business or brand. However, the more real followers you have, the greater your reach and influence, so don’t just think about this in terms of customer ratios. Many people have access to one another’s social media pages, and people are often willing to share content that they like, so more followers can definitely be a positive for your business.
The first thing you need to do, of course, is to focus your time on the social media channels that your customers are most likely to be using. You can then concentrate on the content that people are likely to respond to. While your temptation might be to have a presence on every social media platform out there, you might only be wasting your time if your demographic is unlikely to be on the platforms you choose. If you were marketing to stay-at-home moms, for example, you probably wouldn’t focus on LinkedIn, unless these moms were also business owners. So, narrow your focus, and research your core demographic to find out where they are online.
To increase your following on the platforms you choose, here are some suggestions that we think you will find useful.
#1: Hire a social media specialist
There is much you can do to market your business on social media, and we will look at some of those in a moment. But considering the fact that social media marketing can be tricky, it makes sense to hire a specialist in social media. They will advise you what you should post and when. They will give you the advice you need on increasing your online presence. And they will offer practical support too. You’re already on the right website if you need support, so use the contact details on this site if you want to benefit from somebody who is skilled in this field of marketing.
#2: Follow others
If you want people to follow you on social media, you need to be prepared to follow others. These ‘others’ could be your customers or clients, or they could be groups and communities that have their own networks of people. By making the effort to hit that ‘follow’ button, people might follow you back, and you will start to build your network. If you contribute to groups by sharing your opinion or news of your business, you will also start to increase your number of followers. And if you interact with individuals, they might pass on a link to your social media account to others if they like what you have to say. Again, this could also be an entryway into gaining more followers to your social media pages. Whatever you do, make sure you are genuine when following and interacting with an account.
#3: Post something worthwhile
People will start to follow you if you have something worthwhile to say. So, above and beyond your usual marketing messages, consider the content that you might post. Could you post about an issue that matters? Could you give your opinion on a breaking news story? Do you have something funny to share? Your posts should be tied into your business somewhere – anything else can be shared on your personal account – but think carefully about your content, and give people something that they are going to find valuable. They might even reshare what you have to say!
Regular worthwhile content, whether educational, or entertaining, will always land you a few followers, so don’t limit all of your posts to sales pitches and product information that might only appeal to a select number of customers.
Check out this article at Quicksprout for other social media post ideas that people might find worthwhile.
#4: Time your posts
Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash
If you post too regularly, people might get fed up with you, especially if you’re posting filler content and not anything worthwhile. If you don’t post enough, your content might get swept up within the masses of other content online and get lost in the process. It’s a fine balance between not annoying people and not becoming forgotten by them, so it can be tricky. There is a comprehensive guide on Buffer as to how often you should post, and at what times during the day and week. Get it right, and you might win more followers to your social media pages, so check out the linked advice and get in touch with our services for more information.
#5: Include social media buttons everywhere
To get more followers, you need people to find your social media accounts in the first place. To do this, make use of the social media buttons that can be placed on your website, in your emails, and even within your social media pages. The more you have the merrier, so get them out there. You can even give people an incentive to connect with you, such as discounts on your products.
#6: Give people a reason to follow you
As a follow up from the last point, give people an incentive to follow you on social media. So, for example, if you’re running a contest on Facebook or Instagram, you might only make them accessible to people who follow you. Or you could give a freebie or a discount to the biggest contributors on your social media accounts each month. These incentives are sometimes needed, as some people need that extra push, no matter how wonderful the content is that you produce.
#7: Include your social media URL everywhere
Do you use business cards when promoting your business? If so, make sure your social media addresses are on there. Do you give out product brochures? Again, slap your social media addresses on there, and even offer a discount to the people who follow you online. You can also include your social media URLs on your branded products, such as your pens, caps, mugs, and your USB drive branded products. This is another way to ensure people actually get to hear about your social media accounts, and should they wander on over to them when they’re browsing online, they might start to follow your business if they like what they see.
#8: Build connections with your followers
When people start to follow you online, interact with them. Respond to the questions, like the content that they post, and initiate conversations occasionally. By doing so, you will reduce the risk of them unfollowing you down the line. Social media is supposed to be social, so the more relationships you can build the better, as people might a) be more loyal to you, and b) more willing to share your content with others. In the case of the latter, this could be one way to increase your following, because you might also encourage positive word of mouth from the people you have connected with.
It is possible to increase your social media following, so consider these suggestions. You will then extend your reach online, and in the process, gain more customers, make more sales, and build your profits.
