Social media is becoming more and more frustrating, right? If you have used it to connect with your audience for ten years or so, you undoubtedly have seen crazy changes in your reach. If you’re new to the social media for business scene, reaching 2% of your audience probably feels pretty normal.
But if you’re not reaching your audience, how are they going to know who you are and all the wonderful things your business can bring them?
When it comes to building a loyal following, there are several things you can do. Ultimately, reach is still dependent on the platform’s algorithm, but every social media channel claims to respond to value. To reach more people, you need them to see you as providing valuable content they want to interact with. Here’s how you can start doing that.
Before we get into strategy and posting ideas, it’s important to get your social media accounts in good shape. Make sure your profile is complete, up to date, and visually appealing. Use a high-quality profile picture and cover image.
Use analytics tools to understand where you are now. Identify what types of content resonate most with your audience. Check when they are most active. Use that to influence your posting content and scheduling. As you change your posting, track your progress to see what’s working.
Start with a Strong Content Strategy
We all know stories about how a video went viral, but for business you need to develop a strong and consistent strategy that revolves around dependable and valuable content. When creating a social media content strategy for business, you want:
• High-Quality Content. The foundation of your social media presence is compelling and valuable content. Post images, videos (this is a must), and text that resonate with your target audience.
• Consistency: Develop a content calendar to help plan and schedule your posts. Post regularly to stay top-of-mind with your audience. Consistency is key to becoming top of mind
• Variety: Mix up your content formats to keep things interesting. Try using images, videos, carousels, live streams, stories, and polls.
• Value: Offer educational, entertaining, or inspirational content that provides value to your followers.
Engage
The algorithms base their determination of valuable content on what people are interacting with. That means you must motivate them to go from a passive state of watching (or reading) to an active pursuit of commenting. That’s not always easy, but here are some best practices you can implement:
• Respond to Comments and Messages as soon as possible. Show you value your commenter’s interaction. When appropriate, ask them questions in the comments.
• Ask Questions and Run Polls: Encourage conversations and participation by asking questions and conducting polls. Stickers are an engaging way to do this on Stories.
• Use Interactive Features: Utilize features like live streams, Stories, and Q&As to connect with your followers in real-time.
• Community Building: Foster a sense of community by sharing user-generated content. If someone posts a picture of your products or a review, share it and thank them.
Get More Views
Again, the algorithm has a lot to do with how many people see your content. Just because you post does not mean it will be seen.
• Cross-Promotion. Promote your social media accounts on your website, email signature, newsletter, and other marketing materials. Make sure everyone who does business with you knows where to find you on social media.
• Hashtags. Use relevant hashtags to help people discover your content. Research popular and trending hashtags in your industry and community.
• Bandwagoning. Jumping on the bandwagon is a good way to get new eyes on your content.
• Collaborations. Partner with influencers or other businesses in your niche or town to reach a wider audience. Building a loyal following takes time and effort. Be patient, consistent, and focused on providing value to your audience, and you’ll see your interactions grow over time.
Ray Pucci is the president of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce believes that healthy communities begin with prosperous businesses. By taking action in key areas- ADVOCATE, CONNECT, and GROW - we are the unified voice of business for the improvement of our communities. Visit delawarecounty.org for more information.
