6 Tips For An Engaging Social Media
Nowadays, you really can’t be a huge business without a social media presence. Churches, ice cream shops, restaurants, retail stores, and even hospitals are popping up across social media and trying to reach a bigger audience. Our team specializes in creating meaningful, dynamic content for businesses around the Minneapolis, Minnesota area. We pride ourselves in being social media experts and knowing how to attract a larger audience. Today, we are sharing a few tips that will help any brand, small or big, with their social media.
1. Set goals for yourself
You really aren’t going to get anywhere if you don’t have a clear vision for what you are trying to accomplish. If you are looking to widen your audience, aim for 10 to 20 new followers a week. If you are hoping for higher engagement, track how many users comment and like your posts so that you can build a strategy to raise that. Goals keep you focused on the big picture and will ultimately influence what you post and how often you post. Just like any strategy, you should have something in mind for your brand and work towards that. With goals come determination and passion, and with those characteristics you will surely be successful.
2. Consistency is key
You’ve probably heard this before, but are you practicing it? The more content you create, the higher your chances are of getting people to see it. Users will not follow brands that post once a month with some random photo. They want to feel connected to your brand, they want to be kept in the loop. Consistency leads to a stronger relationship between the follower and the person they are following. We recommend posting three times a week across your social media channels. Keep in mind that although you want to be active, you don’t want to annoy your followers by constantly pushing content at them. Make sure you are posting something meaningful, but also make an effort at posting consistently. Apps like Loomly are great for this because they allow companies to plan out their posts ahead of time. When you plan ahead, you can be sure you are staying active and engaged on social media.
3. Create your own “look”
Have you ever stumbled upon someone’s Instagram page and been fascinated by how their photos seem to flow together seamlessly? It makes everything look more professional and put together, which in the end leads to more followers. If you use an app to edit your photos before posting, start using the same presets or at least a similar color palette on your photos. It will make everything seem more put together and..well..pretty. If you look like you know what you’re doing and like you care about your presence on social media, your followers will notice. It’s okay if you end up changing this theme in the future, but try to stay as consistent as possible. This also allows you to find your own brand identity and be creative about how you want your social media to look like. Whether you want super bright oranges and reds or very calm blues and grays, it’s up to you.
4. Implement video
Our team believes strongly in using video to your advantage on social media. Video takes everything to the next level in terms of visually appealing content, providing information, and gaining attention. If you aren’t incorporating video into your social media on a regular basis, you should start. Businesses can use videos to explain their mission, engage with followers, share stories, tour their spaces, show off new products, and much more. Our team works with businesses to create amazing promotional films, and we always see a much higher engagement on our videos than just posting a photo. And, if you don’t have the budget to hire someone to shoot the videography for you, that’s no problem! Use your iPhone and capture something on there, try doing an Instagram Live, give useful advice, and really try to connect with your audience.
5. Know your audience
Who are you trying to reach? This influences not only your content, but also which social media platforms you are using. Although it is great to be active across all channels, it isn’t worth your time if 90% of your target market is using Facebook. Learn your target market -- learn their needs, their wants, what they do in their free time, when they are on social media, and more. If you are reaching a younger audience, try utilizing Tik Tok or reaching more into the influencer marketing realm. If you are targeting an older audience, maybe try posting things with a more informational standpoint and longer captions with captivating statistics. If you don’t know who you are trying to reach, you won’t gain followers because nobody knows who you are trying to talk to. Once you really dive into one audience, you will be able to focus your attention on a smaller market and in turn gain a higher following.
6. Have a call-to-action
This isn’t necessary on every single post you create, but it is definitely something to think about. Usually posting on social media is tied to a higher goal -- whether that be going to your website, buying a product, reading a blog, or something else. Make sure that your goal is clear and concise on your posts. Direct your consumers to your website often. Share your new blog posts across social media with an easy link for them to click to read. Ask questions in your captions to promote engagement with your followers. Create contests on social media to encourage followers to post about your brand on their own pages. Everything you do should ultimately have a purpose, even if the purpose is just to say hi or welcome a new employee to the team. Remember, the more you know about your own goals, the easier it will be for your followers to know them too.
At the end of the day, there really isn’t a magic solution to gaining a ton of followers. It may take time, it may happen quickly. You might have a great social media and not see the engagement you’d like. However, with these tips, you are definitely helping yourself more than hurting yourself. By being consistent, posting cohesive and engaging content, targeting your audience, and having a call-to-action, you are instilling confidence in your own brand. People who come across your pages will know exactly what they are looking at and will be more likely to hit that follow button. Try some of these out and let us know if they helped!
