This year, the average adult that spends time on social networks will increase their usage by seven more minutes per day, compared to the same time in 2019. That’s 2,555 more minutes or 42.5 hours of additional time your customers and prospects will have to see and hear what you have to say this year.
You have a lot to say, we know it! How do you make sure people see it? There are a few simple tips to refine your social media marketing habits to reach a larger audience. Let’s see where we can start:
Consistency is Key
While we like to break the rules, there are a few we absolutely love. One of those is the Rule of 7. It’s a decades-old marketing term founded long before the web, but it applies to the digital ecosystem today. The rule explains that a prospect needs to “hear” a company’s message at least seven times before he or she takes action. Creating and posting regular content helps ensure your prospects have those seven touches. The more you are able to post, the more likely they are able to see and hear what you have to say seven times. Most experts recommend posting once a day on outlets like Instagram and Twitter and 3-5 times on channels like Facebook.
Sweet Tip: Always include a call to action! Use links back to your website to help customers take action easily.
Cross Promote Your Content
Leverage your content in a variety of places. For example, let’s talk about Instagram. You’ve shared an Instagram feed post! Awesome. Now, be sure to share the post on your Instagram stories. Why? Because some people log in and use the app during different times of the day. That means they may not see your feed post. They will likely see that Instagram post in your stories, however. Encourage them to click through and engage with the static post in your story. You can also drive traffic to your Instagram posts on other social accounts and vice versa. Drop a screen capture of your Instagram post in your newsletter or blog post. Don’t waste good content! Share it far and wide. Get to that number seven faster.
Check the Clock
There are a lot of data points and reports about the times of days that are best for posting on social media. The main strategy is to post when your customers and prospects are on social media already. A few recent findings from this Search Engine Journal article:
Facebook: There’s a daily peak at 11 a.m. compared to the rest of the day. That makes it a good time to schedule posts!
Instagram: There are fewer users on during the early morning and a sharp drop-off after 6 p.m., both of which are changes this year! Mid-afternoon has been identified as an ideal time to post.
While you can read more in reports like this one, you can also learn a lot from your own analytics. After all, your customers are different than everyone else’s. Treat them that way. Insights on your social accounts can show you when your followers are online and engaging with your content. You can also take note of high performing posts and post at similar times to test out theories for ideal posting times for your specific audience.
Become a Part of the Audience
“Post it and they will come,” unfortunately is not a viable strategy on social media. You have to go find your friends! That means moving into the consumer seat. Engage with accounts that share similar content as yours. Follow hashtags that you use on your accounts. Engage with people who align with your brand aesthetic. Like, comment, and follow. When you comment, make sure your words are relevant to their posts. Don’t sell your products or services in comments. Genuinely engage and let them know you’re listening. They’ll know it’s personal and not spam. They’ll come to visit your profiles and hopefully stay for your awesome, engaging content!
Sweet Tip: Don’t be afraid to boost your social posts. An investment of $20 goes a long way. You can also learn more about your target audience from social boosting.
Partner Up
Imagine throwing a party by yourself. You have one guest list with all of your friends. Now imagine throwing a party with another friend. They have a guest list, too! There may be some overlap on your lists, which is awesome. They definitely know people you don’t know, though, which means you’ll have a bigger party when you team up.
When it comes to your business, do you admire another brand or agency? Do you think they may like to meet your customers? Would you like to meet theirs? Plan a contest, create content, or host an event together. It’s a simple way to meet new people. If it works well, you may consider replicating the partnership with another brand or planning a second collaboration a few months later.
Sweet Tip: Break down your blog posts into multiple social media posts and newsletters. This will help with your work load.
See our graphic explanation of content work flow on Instagram.
Give It Away Now
“Free” is always a great way to get a customer’s attention. Hosting a social giveaway can help you grow your social account following. Choose an item or gift card relevant to your brand and business. Make sure the pot is sweet enough to compel a prospect to take action. Once you’ve settled on what you’d like to give away, frame up the contest for prime engagement. Ask your followers to tag friends in the comments, which draws more people to the contest. You can also host photo contests or caption contests, which can also boost your engagement and increase your audience. At the end, be sure to make your non winners feel the love. Send them a “thank you for entering” discount code, for example.
Sweet Tip: Make sure you’re following the rules! Each social platform has its own set of rules. Here are a few tips.
Be Quick on the Draw
Stay active on your account. Most followers will expect a response within a day. Help your online community feel heard and acknowledged by responding quickly to their comments and direct messages about your products and services. Treat them like good friends. Nurture the relationships. If you are responsive, they’re likely to become fans and potentially your loyal social media ambassadors.
See more tips about social media in this blog post.
