You created Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ accounts so that your business can hear and be heard. After all, being active on social media – and garnering an active following – is a great way to increase your exposure and keep in touch with current customers and prospects. But when it comes to social media, the more engagement you have, the stronger your brand and the more likely you are to continue to gain followers.
So how’s your social media engagement? Here are 10 tips to produce more of it:
- Host a contest: Encourage followers to post pictures of themselves with your product (or think up some other creative contest). Make sure users share using a hashtag with your business name in it and don’t forget to award a prize to up the incentive to participate.
- Polls and surveys: The more interactive you can make your accounts, the more engaging you’re likely to be.
- Tweets for goodies: Give away free products or services every now and then to your Twitter followers – just inform them that all they have to do is retweet a specific post to be entered. It’s a win-win.
- Join in the conversation: If you’re not engaging on social media, who’s to say your followers will be? Ask and answer questions of your followers and attempt to turn your accounts into a resource they can go to for information. Just be sure to respond quickly.
- Tag others: Be sure that you’re using hashtags to increase exposure and that you’re tagging other companies and followers, when applicable. Doing so makes them more likely to retweet, share or like your posts, which can increase your audience.
- Post often: Post often and consistently, especially on Fridays, which are the most popular day for shares, comments and likes. Going on vacation or closing for the holidays? Schedule posts to keep your business in the loop.
- Don’t make it all about business: Share cool, fun content or stories that you come across too. Yeah, you want to promote your business with your accounts, but doing so all day, every day can be a turn off for some followers.
- Hire someone: While this adds money to your company’s bottom line, a social media professional can take over your accounts and get them to the level you want them to be at, while taking the responsibility off of your plate so you can focus on what you’re best at.
- Be personable: Your followers don’t want to think that they’re talking to a robot, so be personable. Use emoticons and common social media acronyms.
- Promote it: The more followers you have, the more people you have to engage with. So promote your presence on social media everywhere. Add the icons and links to your mailed newsletter, e-mailed newsletter, digital and print advertising and other literature.
If you would like more information on our social media management or SEO services, contact us today.