You've been posting for weeks, months, maybe even years.
You once got 20+ comments and a few shares – that was a good day. For the most part – you keep the few dozen people who follow you intrigued enough to get likes on everything.
People need what your business offers, but it seems as if no one can see it!
How do you reach the next level?
We've got ten quick tips you can start doing today to help GROW those numbers!
1. Use a platform-specific hashtag strategy.
Hashtags are a tool to help people find the information they are looking for. Each platform has hashtag-specific etiquette that will increase performance. If you use Twitter, be sure to use hashtags in the body of your post. However, Facebook, Linkedin, and Instagram hashtags are statistically proven at the end of your posts. Here are a few hashtag tips that work on every platform.
Use one branded hashtag – this will help you easily direct people to a hashtag search showing only your information.
Use one viral hashtag. This will help you stay in play with the big guys. But know, you won't stay there long – that hashtag list grows quickly!
Use one product-related hashtag.
You don't have to guess or be a hashtag hero! There are plenty of free tools out there to help you discover the most popular hashtags. We like Neon Tools.
2. Tag customers, colleagues, and other businesses as often as you can in your posts – and in your post comments where appropriate.
When you sell a product to a person – whether B2B or B2C – thank them for social tagging them to get them involved. As an example, see this post from GROW. https://www.facebook.com/GrowingSales/photos/a.925283400888165/3788245674591909/ When you tag them, they get notified, which will likely lead to a response. When people in their network see that, they often like the post where that person was mentioned. It builds a chain reaction of interest. The element of tagging individuals helps "boost the algorithms." Remember, engagement = happy artificial intelligence.
3. Use emojis.
Yes, even you – the very serious business owner. Emojis aren't all hearts and smiley faces. Use megaphones for announcements, dollars for revenue, etc. Emojis break up the monotony of boring text. Emojis also give your posts personality and show visitors there are real people behind your company.
4. Be REAL and active!
Go beyond your own business page; interact with your vendors, customers, and partners on their business page. This builds authenticity and shows you are in it for more than a lead – or simply because you feel like you "have to be there." Join groups. Participate. Answer questions. Position yourself as an expert in your field.
5. Use Social Proof in your posts.
What is Social Proof? Social Proof is pictures or videos of you and your team doing what you do best!!! Retail store? Show pics of a new endcap. Mover? Show your team packing items carefully. Roofer? Show before and after shots of your customers' roofs. Be sure to use imagery that is well lit, clean, and crisp. You want to make sure you always look professional. No blurry photos, no cloudy photos, no shaky photos, no videos you can't understand. We recommend these inexpensive tools to help you get the best pictures and videos: Smartphone, phone tripod, ring light.
6. Celebrate on social!
People like to see good news. Celebrate a new location, an anniversary, a new employee, a birthday, a client's birthday, free donuts at the office day, anything at all you want to celebrate. Highlight what a great company you are for the world to see.
7. LINK YOUR POSTS.
We recommend the 80/20 rule for linking. 80% of your posts should be without links, and 20% should point back to your website. The key is to link your post both relevantly and strategically. Don't just slap a link to your home page or quote form on every post you make. The algorithm police will smite you! Link them to something that makes sense. Link them to a previous post, a blog article, or your Google My Business images. Make sure you are giving your audience a way to further their interaction with you.
8. Always include a call to action.
Tell your social readers what you want them to do! Don't just expect them to do it. Tell them to like it. Tell them to follow. Tell them to visit. Tell them to call. A post without a call to action is like a tree that falls in a forest with no one around. Did it make a sound? You'll never know.
Notice we said to "tell" them, not "ask" them. Why? Another critical rule we like to follow – never ask a question they can say no to (or answer in any fashion you wouldn't want them to).
WRONG
"Would you like a free widget today?"
RIGHT
"We're offering FREE widgets today – get yours now!"
WRONG
"Can we schedule a meeting?" Response: "No, I'm busy."
RIGHT
"Is 1 pm or 3 pm better for a meeting?"
They have to choose a time or likely propose a better time.
9. Make sure your social handles, logo, and branded banner are the same across every network.
This will help your visitors easily recognize you. It also enables you to gain visitors – when sending an email or doing an interview, you can say, "find us @OurName on social," and that applies to any network they use.
10. Our final tip: Choose your social networks with your target customer in mind.
In other words, make sure you're on the social networks your customers are using. If you're a nail salon, don't spend all your time and money on LinkedIn. Your audience is not engaged there.; You need Facebook and Instagram. Yes, people on LinkedIn get their nails done, but they don't talk about it there. If you're an office supply company, don't spend all your time and money on Facebook. Your buyers are likely thinking about office supplies on LinkedIn.
Focus on your top networks – build the others when you have more resources or time. How do you know where to focus? Do a social audit. Look at your networks, look at your audiences, decide whom you WANT to market to, and do that amazingly well. GROW performs a social media audit on all of our social clients before onboarding them. We run contests for free social audits from time to time – follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn to be in the know!
Dana Tate is a creative Social Media and Visual Branding Director at GROW Marketing Agency. She takes the opportunity to turn moments into extraordinary content that drives results. Her main passion is to connect with individuals and businesses so that they can, too, see through the lens that she sees. Not only does she specialize in marketing and social media, but she also has a photography background that is an instrument to our clients.
GROW is a St. Louis-based Sales and Marketing Agency specializing in Website, Digital Marketing, & Business growth solutions. We help companies increase their revenue by creating the pathways that lead customers to the heart of their business. Individually tailored and guaranteed to deliver results, our growth strategies save clients time and money while increasing their market share.
There are many moving pieces to a modern social presence. An optimized marketing effort will focus on the networks where my core audience is already active - Thanks for the helpful reminder!!!