July 23, 2018
Approximately 2 billion people use social media. Figures are expected to grow as mobile device usage and mobile social networks gain more traction. With customers using social media 24/7, and on such a variety of platforms, what was best practise last week might not work today. Keeping up with all the latest policies and algorithm changes probably isn’t on your list of favourite things to do but we’re giving you a few simple tips to make the most of your social channel of choice.
One way to think about shaping your content is to perhaps think about ‘why’ people visit each platform in the first place. Instagram has made us all observe the world a bit differently and has given many people a new-found love of photography. Twitter is one of the best sources of news, and can also be a pretty funny place too. We use each platform with a different purpose and your content needs to reflect that too.
Once you’ve got a solid strategy and content plan in place, it’s time to dive in.
As the largest online social platform with over 1 billion users, it can give you access to potential customers you couldn’t otherwise reach. If used effectively, Facebook marketing outshines any traditional advertising.
- It’s all about video. It’s no secret that video is currently dominating social media far and wide. Statistics show that video marketing boosts engagement and increases conversions, which both lead to more sales.
- Put some money behind it. If you’re serious about your business, you should have a budget for marketing and Facebook is the first place you’ll want to invest it in. By targeting specific audiences, Facebook ads can provide the highest return on your investment.
- Choose stand-out visuals. Our brains are able to process the world that surrounds us at incredible speeds. At the same time, statistics show that our attention span on social media is about 8 seconds, which makes visuals your best bet to communicate and trigger emotion all at a glimpse.
- Chatbots are your friends. Chatbots haven’t been around long but are steadily being used by more and more businesses. Those already using Chatbots are seeing open rates increase 75-85%. They give customers that personal connection they crave and can quickly step in to solve an FAQ.
Did you know that Google indexes every single tweet? (That makes it a great tool for SEO!) Here are three ways to improve your performance on the platform:
- Less links is more. Research has shown that tweets without links perform better and get more engagement. By limiting the links you share, you bring more meaning and value to the ones you choose to include.
- Know your hashtags. The first thing you can do is create a library of Hashtags for your business, and make sure you include both industry tags and the ones that are of interest to your specific audience. But remember, no one likes a hashtag spammer!
- Twitter cards = lead generation. Gaining new leads is the ultimate goal, so channel your efforts towards building your list and/or following. Twitter cards offer an easy way to get people to subscribe to your list, and a growing list offers scope for potential clients.
33% of internet users are on Instagram, 60% of Instagram users login daily, and engagement on Instagram is 10x higher than Facebook and 84x higher than Twitter. Still unsure if you should include Instagram in your social media strategy? Here’s a few tips:
- Use a business account. Using a business account gives you access to features not available on personal ones. It gives you access to analytics, so you can monitor and improve results. And by accessing Instagram Ads you can target a custom audience and get preference in the newsfeed.
- Use a Hashtag strategy. Make sure your hashtags are brand specific, industry relevant and trending. Also, make sure you research your hashtags! We’ve all learnt our lesson with #NetflixAndChill
- Put the customer in the spotlight. UGC, OMG! Sharing your followers’ photos in your feed is one of the best strategies for growth and a great way to connect with your audience and potential customers. If you want your account to be successful and your posts to be seen, you can’t simply post and wait. You must continually interact and actively engage with your followers. Like, comment, share, repeat.
- Be creative. Be creative, be consistent, and stand out! Use all three formats available: photos, videos and Stories. If you let your audience get to know more about you, they will feel more comfortable buying from you.
- Competition time. When done properly, competitions and giveaways net big results on Instagram. It’s another great way to build your following, promote a product and interact with users.
Don’t feel overwhelmed by the number of platforms out there, take it slowly and don’t get ahead of yourself. It takes a lot of commitment to grow a business and brand on social, but with a bit of patience and some testing you can achieve some pretty amazing results.