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Social media has become an integral part of any business's marketing strategy.
With billions of users worldwide, platforms offer unparalleled opportunities to connect with potential customers and build brand awareness.
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
However, simply having a presence on social media is not enough.
To truly succeed, businesses must focus on building an engaged social media following. Absolutely!
Source: Here
But how do you do that? We've included some of our focal points below:
Authentic Relationships: Engaged followers aren't just numbers on a screen; they're potential customers who value the brand's message and products. Building a relationship with them helps in fostering trust and loyalty.
Enhanced Brand Visibility: Engaged followers are more likely to share, comment on, and like content. This interaction boosts a post's reach on many social media algorithms, making it visible to a broader audience.
Community Building: Engaged followers often become brand ambassadors in their own right. They defend the brand, share its values, and bring in new followers, creating a strong online community.
Cost-Effective Marketing: Organic engagement reduces the need for paid promotions. If a brand's content resonates and engages, it will organically reach a wider audience without the need for heavy ad spends.
While building a large follower base can be beneficial for vanity metrics, it's the quality and engagement of these followers that truly drive a brand's online success.
Engaged followers help amplify a brand's message, contribute to its growth, and, most importantly, support its business objectives.
Today, we explore some effective strategies that business owners and social media managers can employ to achieve this goal.
Define Your Objective
Defining the objectives of a social media campaign is paramount to its success and provides a clear direction for all subsequent planning and execution.
These objectives act as a compass, guiding the campaign's content, design, and evaluation metrics.
A well-articulated objective, be it brand awareness, lead generation, audience engagement, or sales conversion, gives stakeholders a unified vision of what the campaign aims to achieve.
It facilitates performance measurement, allowing teams to assess whether the campaign is on track or requires adjustments.
Establishing clear, measurable, and attainable goals, businesses can optimize their resources, ensure alignment with their broader marketing strategy, and effectively gauge the return on their social media investments.
Campaign KPIs to Consider & Evaluate:
To determine the success of a social media campaign, several key performance indicators should be observed and analyzed.
Engagement – Reflects the effectiveness of your campaign in resonating with your desired audience.
Reach – Assesses the number of individuals exposed to your campaign materials. Conversions – Represents outcomes like gaining new subscribers or achieving sales.
Utilizing a social media analytics tool can aid in monitoring these KPIs, allowing you to discern patterns that highlight the strengths and areas of enhancement in your campaign.
Define Your Target Audience
Before diving into social media marketing, it is crucial to have a clear understanding of your target audience. Without data to guide you, you really are just throwing darts at a dartboard in the dark - hoping to hit the target.
Demographics:
Age: Different age groups may prefer different platforms. For example, younger audiences tend to gravitate towards Instagram and TikTok, while older ones might be more active on Facebook.
Gender: Some platforms and content types might appeal more to one gender than another.
Education: Platforms like LinkedIn cater to professionals and those in the business realm.
Location: Cater content based on geographic areas, especially if you're targeting a regional audience.
Income Level: High-end products might target audiences with a higher disposable income.
Psychographics:
Interests: Tailor content based on what your audience loves, be it travel, fashion, tech, etc.
Lifestyles: A fitness enthusiast might be more active on platforms where health and fitness influencers are prevalent.
Values and Beliefs: Topics like sustainability or social causes can cater to an audience that values these principles.
Engagement Behavior:
Active Hours: When is your audience most active? This can vary between platforms.
Content Preference: Do they prefer videos, images, infographics, or long-form content?
Engagement Type: Do they just view content, or do they actively comment, share, and like?
By defining your target audience, you can tailor your social content and messaging to resonate with them, increasing the chances of engagement and conversion.
** Experiment with various content types, posting times, and engagement strategies. Monitor the results and adapt based on what maximizes engagement.
Remember, understanding your audience is an ongoing process. As trends shift and platforms evolve, it's essential to continually revisit and refine your audience identification strategies.
Choose the Right Platforms
Choosing the right social media platforms is a crucial step in building an engaged social media following.
With so many social platforms available, it can be tempting to try to be present on all of them.
This approach can be counterproductive and where most fail, as it can spread your resources too thin and dilute your message with inconsistencies. Instead, it is essential to focus on the platforms where your target audience is most active and work to engage.
To determine which platforms are right for your business, start by researching your target audience's demographics, psychographic and behaviors (as we noted above) to pinpoint targeted campaign abilities.
For example, if you are targeting a younger demographic, platforms like Instagram and TikTok may be more effective than Facebook or LinkedIn.
If you are targeting a B2B audience, LinkedIn may be the best platform to focus on.
It is also important to consider the type of content that performs well on each platform.
Instagram is a highly visual platform, so it may be best suited for businesses that can showcase their products or services through images and videos.
Twitter, on the other hand, is more text-based and may be better suited for businesses that can provide quick updates or share industry news.
Another factor to consider is the level of competition on each platform.
Some platforms may be oversaturated with businesses similar to yours, making it harder to stand out and build an engaged following.
In this case, it may be more effective to focus on a less crowded platform where you can carve out a niche and build a loyal following.
Ultimately, the key to choosing the right platforms is to understand your target audience's behavior and preferences and align them with the strengths and limitations of each platform.
By focusing your resources on the platforms that offer the most potential for engagement and conversion, you can build a highly engaged social media following that drives real business results.
Create a Consistent Brand Identity
Consistency is key when it comes to building a strong brand presence on social media. Ensure that your profile picture, cover photo, and bio are consistent across all platforms.
Use consistency in your posts to create brand identity.
Color palette
Fonts
Tone of voice
Messaging
Visuals
Adidas's - "Impossible is Nothing" campaign anchors its social media content in its "Impossible is Nothing" ethos.
The apparel and footwear giant disseminates uplifting tales of both athletic feats and sustainability triumphs, spurring its audience onward in their sports and environmental endeavors.
Additionally, Adidas frequently employs #ImpossibleIsNothing and other related campaign hashtags to reinforce its brand narrative across everything they do. I can't think of Adidas without noting the Impossible Is Nothing tag line in my head!
This helps your audience recognize and connect with your brand, across various social platforms increasing engagement and brand loyalty.
Post High-Quality, Relevant Content
To attract and retain an engaged social media following, you need to provide value to your audience.
This means posting high-quality, relevant content that educates, entertains, or inspires your audience and potential customers.
Avoid overly promotional posts and focus on creating content that your audience will find useful and shareable.
Leverage User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful tool for building an engaged social media following. Do not disregard this tactic. It can be highly effective.
In 2014, Starbucks initiated the innovative #WhiteCupContest campaign. Sure, it's from years past but still highly relevant on HOW Starbucks used it's consumers and audience to engage with their brand.
Through an Instagram contest, they urged customers to "unleash their creativity on their iconic white cups".
The winning artworks were then transformed into future cup designs, offering artists a unique platform for their talent on everyday ceramics.
Capitalizing on the momentum of the #WhiteCupContest, Starbucks introduced the #RedCupArt challenge in 2016. This fresh initiative sparked significant engagement on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, garnering overwhelming positive responses.
A key to such successful campaigns is leveraging user-generated content.
By allowing anyone to participate and aligning the campaign with a beloved product, businesses can foster deeper connections with their fans and amplify brand love! A must need when it comes to social strategies.
Find ways to encourage your audience to create and share content related to your brand, such as reviews, testimonials, or photos of them using your products.
Not only does UGC provide social proof, but it also helps to foster a sense of community and engagement within your customer base.
Engage with Your Audience
Social media is a two-way street, and it is essential to engage with your audience to build a loyal following.
Make sure to respond to comments, messages, and mentions in a timely and personalized manner - ensure as a member of your team (or business) is monitoring these social accounts daily.
Ask questions, run polls, and encourage discussions to foster engagement and make your audience feel heard and valued.
Collaborate with Influencers
Influencer marketing can be a highly effective strategy for building an engaged social media following.
Michelle Wie West quickly rose to prominence as the youngest golfer to qualify for the LPGA Tour at the tender age of 15.
Soon after, Nike recognized her talent and forged a partnership with her. Since 2005, she has been a loyal ambassador for the brand, consistently sharing Nike-related content, such as a giveaway in December 2020.
Identify influencers in your industry who have a significant following and align with your brand values.
Collaborate with them on content creation, giveaways, or takeovers to tap into their audience and increase your reach and engagement.
Run Contests and Giveaways
Social media contests are a fantastic way to engage audiences, increase brand visibility, and cultivate user-generated content. Depending on the platform, here are different types of social media contests you can run.
Offer a valuable prize in exchange for likes, shares, or user-generated content.
Photo Contests:
Platforms: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok
Concept: Users submit their own photos (related to a theme or product) and often use a specific hashtag.
Caption Contests:
Platforms: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Concept: Brands post a photo and ask users to come up with a creative or funny caption.
Comment to Enter:
Platforms: Almost all platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Concept: Users must comment on the contest post to be entered into a random drawing.
Like/Follow to Enter:
Platforms: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok
Concept: Users must like the post and/or follow the account to enter.
Tag-a-Friend Contests:
Platforms: Instagram, Facebook
Concept: Users tag a friend in the comments to enter, often increasing the contest's visibility.
Hashtag Contests:
Platforms: Instagram, Twitter, TikTok
Concept: Users share content using a specific hashtag to enter.
Trivia or Quiz Contests:
Platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (in Stories or Live)
Concept: Users answer a question correctly for a chance to win.
UGC (User Generated Content) Contests:
Platforms: Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook
Concept: Users create content, often around a theme, and submit it to win.
Video Contests:
Platforms: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Concept: Users submit short videos, often showcasing a skill, dance, or story, for a chance to win.
When running a contest on any platform, it's essential to follow that platform's rules and guidelines regarding promotions.
Additionally, always be transparent about the terms and conditions of your contest to maintain trust with your audience.
This not only helps to increase your reach but also encourages your existing audience to engage with your brand and share it with their networks.
Use Hashtags Strategically
Hashtags are a powerful tool for increasing your reach and engagement on social media. When used strategically, hashtags can help your content get discovered by users who are interested in your industry or topic, even if they are not following your account.
Here are some tips for using hashtags strategically:
Research relevant hashtags: Before using hashtags, it is important to research and identify the ones that are relevant to your industry or topic. You can use tools like Hashtagify or RiteTag to find popular and trending hashtags in your niche.
Use a mix of broad and specific hashtags: Using a mix of broad and specific hashtags can help you reach a wider audience while also targeting users who are more likely to be interested in your content. Broad hashtags like #marketing (below) or #business can help you reach a larger audience, while specific hashtags like #digitalmarketingtips or #smallbusinessowner can help you target users who are more likely to engage with your content.
Create branded hashtags: Creating branded hashtags can help you build a sense of community and engagement around your brand. Branded hashtags can be used to promote a specific campaign, event, or product launch, or they can be used as a general tag for your brand. Make sure to promote your branded hashtags across all your social media channels to encourage your audience to use them.
Avoid using too many hashtags: While hashtags can be effective, using too many of them can make your posts look spammy and decrease engagement. As a general rule, it is best to use no more than 2-3 hashtags per post on platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn, and up to 10-15 hashtags on platforms like Instagram.
Monitor and analyze your hashtag performance: Finally, it is important to monitor and analyze your hashtag performance to understand what is working and what is not. Use the analytics provided by each platform to track your hashtag reach, engagement, and conversion rates. Test different hashtags, combinations, and posting times to optimize your hashtag strategy and build a highly engaged following.
By using hashtags strategically, you can increase your reach and engagement on social media, attract new followers, and build a loyal community around your brand.
Remember to research relevant hashtags, use a mix of broad and specific hashtags, create branded hashtags, avoid using too many hashtags, and monitor and analyze your hashtag performance to optimize your strategy and achieve your social media goals.
Monitor and Analyze Your Performance
Finally, it is essential to monitor and analyze your social media performance to understand what is working and what is not.
Use the analytics provided by each platform to track your engagement, reach, and conversion rates.
Best rule of thumb, always, always be testing!
Test different strategies, content formats, and posting times to optimize your social media presence and build a highly engaged following.
In Conclusion, Building an Engaged Social Media Following is a Crucial Aspect of any Business's Marketing Strategy.
By:
Defining your target audience
Defining target objectives and KPIs
Choosing the right platforms
Creating a consistent brand identity
Posting high-quality content
Leveraging user-generated content
Engaging with your audience
Collaborating with influencers
Running contests and giveaways
Using hashtags strategically
Monitoring and analyzing your performance
You can build a highly engaged following that not only increases brand awareness but also drives traffic, leads, and sales.
Remember, building a loyal following takes time and effort, so be patient, stay consistent, and always prioritize providing value to your audience.
With these strategies in mind, business owners and social media managers can take their social media presence to the next level and achieve their marketing goals.
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