In a world where everything is moving onto various platforms of social media, whether you are selling, advising or just trying to increase your brand image, it can be difficult to know where to start in order to get ahead of your competitors. The good news for those who want to make their mark on the internet and grow an audience quickly is that there are plenty of ways to do this without spending too much money.
We have put together our top ten tips for how to build up a following online which will help you gain more exposure than ever before.
1) Create content regularly
This may seem like common sense but if you don’t create any new content at all then no one will see what you are doing and they won’t follow you either.
If you haven’t created anything since last week then you need to step things up! You should aim to post something every day. If you find yourself struggling with time constraints then try posting once per two days instead. The key here is consistency so that people know when to expect updates from you.
2) Be active on other sites as well
When you utilise social media, you are essentially trying to build your brand so having a social media presence across multiple platforms will help you reach a variety of audiences in many different ways.
Keep yourself organised if you are posting across multiple platforms as this can quickly become confusing if you don’t have a structure. Don’t forget that different social media sites have different rules so it’s important that you keep this in mind when posting. Twitter for example, doesn’t let you repeat posts whereas this is not a problem on facebook. Instagram prefers photos and snapshots so this can be a great tool to really capture your audiences attention.
3) Make sure you have a strategic plan
Not having a plan for your social media marketing strategy is likely to leave you feeling frustrated, unable to see whether you have achieved any results and can ultimately make you turn away from social media marketing.
Social media strategies should be simple, clear cut and straight forward. Plan to track your results, leads and new connections from social media so you can see what platforms are working, what need some work doing to them and where your biggest audience base is.
4) Create a Content Calendar
At Content Clever, we love a content calendar and this is how most of our work throughout the seasons and the year is planned out. A content calendar can keep you focused, keep your topics trending and can be incredibly helpful when you are posting across a variety of social media accounts.
If you are struggling to fill your content calendar or you just don’t know where to start, get in touch with Content Clever – we would love to help you plan your social media for the year so you never have to worry about what to post again.
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5) Monitoring your reactions and views
If you are looking to use social media as a powerful tool within your business, you need to monitor your reactions and views (as well as your ‘negative comments) so you can build your brand in the right way.
Not monitoring your engagement rate means that you may struggle to factor in your conversion rate and lose business as a result of this. Social media is becoming an increasingly powerful tool in the way we do business today so its important to stay on your game and interact with those loyal customers you have worked hard to gain.
6) Follow up with your comments
It’s all well and good receiving comments, likes and shares from your audience, but not responding to them in a well timed manner could leave a bad taste in their mouths. Always take 5 minutes to respond to any comments you have received – this makes customers feel welcome and could also convert that lead to a strong sale.
7) Remain active
Much like our first point, to increase customer loyalty, you should be providing original and engaging content that relates to your customer and makes them realise that they can no longer live without your brand in their life! By remaining active regularly and consistently, you build trust with your audience. Avoid posting a lot in one day and not posting again for a couple of weeks. This may clog up your audience news feed, meaning they may get annoyed with your posts and click the unfollow button, or they may not see it at all.
8) Have a substantial page before paying for advertising
When we start a new business, we can often jump on the social media pages and platforms without having half the information to hand. Starting a page that is half empty can often be damaging to your initial reputation and it is something you should try to avoid when gaining an online presence.
Take the time to build your social media pages so they are full of information, insightful posts and content prior to pressing the publish button and inviting the world to like and share. If a potential customer visits your social media and sees that half the information is finished, they may look negatively on your business – avoid this at all costs!
9) Collate industry related news and posts
Another nifty trick of the trade is to open your social pages up to a variety of industry related news, breakthroughs, demos and posts from other professionals. This builds the impression that you are a true expert within your field and your page isn’t just filled with information about your business, as whilst this is important, you want to build a target audience that also come to you for tips, advice, guidance and the latest news related to your business.
10) Have fun with it!
Most importantly, social media is there for you to be creative and to show you and your brand in the most positive and thought provoking way. Providing visual content that builds audience engagement and reminds potential customers that you are a creative expert in your field will lad to positive experiences and build that conversion rate! Take the time to interact with your audience and make your posts engaging.
Content Clever can support you with your social media platforms
Content Clever pride themselves on being able to support you to increase your social media presence, build your brand and engage with your audience. We are here to help you reach your potential and do this through communication, content calendars and a little bit of creative flare.
If you want to build your brand through social media, but you aren’t sure where to start, get in touch with Content Clever today and see where your online presence can be taken! With flexible packages to suit any budget, Content Clever are supporting many businesses with their social media management every day.