How to Keep Your Social Media Fans Engaged and Attract New Followers

As we become savvier social media marketers, we’ve learned that we can’t measure the success of our social media campaigns by the number of followers, but by the volume of their engagement. Social media, by its very nature, encourages our fans to spread the word about our brands, as long as we know how to attract and engage our followers.

Social media platforms and search engines measure the amount of activity posts generate in order to put relevant content in front of their users. Social media activity (comments, shares, retweets, etc.) lends credibility and respect to your brand-which leads to the platforms and search engines presenting your posts to more people. It stands to reason that the more people engage with your brand, the more potential customers you reach. The trick is knowing how to engage people in a friendly and fun manner on social networks. Here are a few points to ponder when crafting your social media strategy:

Are you taking advantage of all possible ways to funnel people to your social media profile? Periodically inviting those who receive your newsletter to follow you on Pinterest, or having a Google+ button in your email signature line are both examples of quick ways to invite followers.

Are your posts worth paying attention to? Inspire your followers to share your content through providing solutions, entertainment, services, and resources. If your feed is a constant sales pitch, your audience won’t be able to see the value in following your brand and will quickly lose interest.

Have you asked your inner circle to follow you? Asking your employees, family, and friends to actively share your content opens the door to their circles. If they ask members of their circles to do the same, you’ve grown your audience!

Are you being consistent? A regular posting pattern promotes engagement from your followers, and also creates anticipation for your next post. Frequent updates can also help boost your search engine relevance. Two or three daily posts, depending on the platform, is the common recommendation for keeping your presence off the back burner of your followers’ minds.  If you can only commit to one post a day, that’s still better than posting three times today and then not getting back to it for a week. In fact, erratic posting can actually drive followers away!

Are you utilizing all your resources? Most major social media platforms have tools you can use to see which types of content attract the most engagement from your followers. This can help you when you’re deciding which of your posts to promote to those who don’t follow you. Chances are that if much of your audience has responded positively to a video you posted, sharing that post with an even greater audience will garner more followers.

Have you provided incentive for people to share your content? Everyone likes to win free things while having fun! Use games, quizzes, contests, and giveaways to solicit engagement from your fans. Share pictures of your followers with your product, ask your audience to post their favorite experiences with your brand, or invite fans to offer suggestions on how you can be better.

The bottom line is, if you show your audience that you value them, their opinions, their time, and their loyalty, you’ll keep your fans engaged and attract new followers; ultimately leading to greater brand recognition and loyalty.