- Reading time: 4 mins
- Topics:
- Social Media
If you’ve already invested time in establishing a social media presence for your business, you’re ahead of the game! The next step is learning how to increase social media engagement, which is easier said than done.
There are many ways to help encourage people to like, comment, retweet, favorite, and share your posts. Here are seven to get you started:
- Use visuals. According to Xerox, “researchers found that colored visuals increase people’s willingness to read a piece of content by 80 percent.” That’s a pretty incredible statistic! Instead of relying on text-only posts on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, try attaching a photo with a couple small details, such as your logo and some text. If you’re unsure how to design something like this, there are plenty of free programs that can help you out. To the right is an example from one of our clients, Hero’s.
- Let hashtags help you out. Hashtags are your friend. As trendy as they may seem, these are useful (especially on Twitter and Instagram) because they help categorize your posts. Those searching for topics related to your business or service can find your account if you use hashtags properly. Below is an example from one of our clients, Diversified Ink. For Diversified Ink, we use specific hashtags related to what’s in the photo, such as #watercolortattoo. Those searching on Instagram for a watercolor tattoo are more likely to find Diversified’s posts because we use these hashtags.
Analyze your analytics. Analytics are a useful tool that can really help you plan your social media content. Are most your fans between the ages of 50-75? If they are, plan your posts according to subjects you think will interest that age group. If you’re a financial business, people in this age group may be looking toward retirement. Help them out with some posts about planning ahead.
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Reuse your content. Did one of your posts six months ago perform really well? Use it again! This can help drive traffic and increase engagement. Don’t overdo it, though! People like to see fresh content, but if a topic has done well in the past, there’s no harm in using it again.
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Use advertising to spread your message. Social media platforms have excellent advertising capabilities. Take Facebook, for example. With a few clicks you can boost a Facebook post and the platform does the rest of the work. This will help spread your message beyond those who like your page, and it may even get you a few new page likes!
- Stay on top of new trends and developments. Staying in the know isn’t difficult and can really pay off in the long run. There are new features being unveiled practically every day on platforms such as Facebook and Snapchat. Facebook Live is one example — it’s a way to use video to engage your customer base, and it’s simple. Another fun example is the Snapchat geofilter feature. For a few dollars you can create your own filter and encourage people to use it on a particular night. To the right is an example of a geofilter we created for Hero’s!
- Use social media as a customer service tool. If someone comments on a Facebook post, reply! If they favorite a tweet, send them a quick message saying thank you. Make sure you check your messages on platforms such as Instagram — someone may ask you a question about your service. Be prompt and friendly on social media — it will show your customers you care! If people notice that you’re responsive, they may be more likely to engage with you in the future.
These seven tips are only a few of the many ways you can increase social media engagement. Remember to listen to your customers on social media – they’ll tell you exactly what they like to see if you let them.
