Market to social media users on the platforms they prefer with these six expert tips.
It’s no secret that social media is the preferred method of interaction for people nowadays, and when you’re able to conduct business, chat with friends, and stay in touch with relatives all at the same time, why wouldn’t it be?
The problem is that with so many users online, it can be hard to generate interest in your business. If you’re tired of preaching to an invisible audience on social media, here are a few tricks for your inbound marketing strategy that you can use to increase your social media response.
1) Let Them Work for You
One of the easiest ways to generate interest in your content is to simply get your name out there. You can do this by posting frequently (which you should be doing anyway), but it isn’t the most efficient method.
Your goal is to increase your social media presence without spending half your day making posts. So, get involved with individuals and companies who already have a large social media presence. It’s the classic popularity-by-association trick that we’ve all been using since our early schooldays. By following, commenting on and re-posting content created by users with large followings, you’re getting your name out there to be seen by others. As you appear more frequently in newsfeeds and shares, you can bet that you’ll start to generate more of your own traffic.
2) Multimedia Delivery
In today’s day and age, words are old hat. The people today don’t want to read a wall of text, they want images to look at, video clips to watch, and hyperlinks they can follow to learn more about your subject.
So mix up your media to avoid losing users in the humdrum of text. Entertainment is the name of the game! And when it comes to social media, visuals are key.
3) Keep it Simple
With the advent of social media platforms that encourage brief posting, the “scannability” of your message is more important than ever.
Marketing on social media should be quick, short and to the point. Your posts should be like bite-sized snacks getting users through the day, not a five-course wine and dine.
4) Inspire Your Readers
We’ve covered how to convey your message and how brief it should be, but what about the actual content?
If you want to engage your readers, you have to give them content that will stimulate and inspire a response. According to data collected by Digital Insights, the most common reason people dislike a Facebook page is because of uninteresting content clogging up their newsfeeds.
If you can provide something that they haven’t seen before and that can generate unique thoughts, you’ll find that they’ll come back to see what else you’re putting out. Don’t be afraid to be unique and provocative! Of course, if you really want to go viral, we usually recommend posting a picture of a dress of ambiguous color and asking users to comment. Who knew?
5) Inform Your User Base
Another easy way to increase user involvement is to put out FAQ’s and customer service capabilities. People like using social media to problem solve, so it makes sense to give them a direct way to interface with you when they’re having issues. Using social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to address customer service issues can be a simple way to make your customers feel heard in an environment that they are comfortable using.
6) Know Where Your Users Are
So you have your message and you know how to deliver it, but how can you be sure the right folks are viewing it?
According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, while Facebook is the most widely used social network, other social platforms can be the key to a more diverse audience. Women are four times more likely than men to use Pinterest, for instance. LinkedIn caters to the post-graduate user base. Instagram tends to attract younger users.
With this in mind, it’s important that you deliver your message via the social platform that your target demographic will be most likely to use, and of course, diversify your platforms.
Conclusion
Using social media can feel a bit like preaching from a soapbox in Central Park. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Post frequently in a variety of media, share the love with other users, and meet your target demographic where you know you can find them. Then, figure out a way to engage them on a deeper level than they can find elsewhere. You just might find yourself in the midst of a beautiful, budding long-term user relationship.
