Marketing Manager at Give the Dog a Bone
These days it is common practice for both new and well-established brands to use social media to grow their following, generate leads and increase sales and market exposure.
With all the different social media platforms available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when building your brand. But don’t worry! With some time and effort you can use these tools in order to grow organically on a monthly basis without having any special campaigns or events planned for them every single day of the month – just put out content that is relevant to your brand and followers and you’ll see that the engagement over time will increase.
Whether you’re just getting started or have been active on social media platforms for years, there’s always room for improvement. Each platform has different uses.
Create a specific strategy for each social media platform
When creating a marketing plan for each platform you use, there are some specific things that need to be included in order not only have success with your campaign but also make sure it’s fun!
Your brand may not need to have a presence on every platform, but for your posts to be targeted, you need to have a strategy that is specific to the platform you’re using.
Make sure you can answer questions like:
- Why am I using this platform?
- Who will reach on this platform?
- What post types work best on this platform?
- How are my posts unique to this platform?
Be consistent
Some platforms like Twitter and Instagram Stories require you to be active multiple times per day to get the maximum potential from your audience. Other post types, like regular Instagram Posts and Facebook updates, don’t have as much urgency and can be used less sparingly. When determining your post strategy, look at factors such as how the algorithm works for each platform and whether content posts chronologically or is curated based on other factors.
This ties back in with your social media marketing plan. You should outline:
- How often you plan to publish on each social media platform based on best practices for that platform
- What type of content you plan to post on each platform?
- Who is your target audience on each platform?
Invest in video content
The fact is that video content is booming right now. With the birth of IGTV and the rapid growth of YouTube, Facebook Live and more, social media users are consuming more video content than ever before.
In the past three years, video views have increased by over 99% on YouTube and 258% on Facebook. A Tweet containing a video is 6x more likely to be retweeted than a Tweet with a photo or just text.
Interact with your audience
The success of your social media campaign will depend on the quality and relevance of content you post, as well how engaged with fans/followers they can be. Make sure to answer any questions that come up while posting; it’s better for them (and you!) if we know what information is most important than just guessing!
If you notice other users having a conversation about your brand or product, don’t be afraid to chime in and add additional value. Users want to know that there is a real person on the other side of the computer and not just a robot that sends out links all day.
One of the most important ways to stay top-of mind with your audience is by answering questions on social media platforms. You should promptly respond and thank those who mention or share content from you, as well add value where appropriate when people ask about brands related in some way.
Partner with influencers and micro-influencers
One of the toughest things about maintaining a social media presence is gaining the trust of your audience on platforms that are so saturated with content. A great way to target your audience on a more personal level is to partner with influencers in your niche to help you promote your products more organically.
Partnering up with an established influencer who has a following in your niche not only expands the reach of your brand but also provides fresh eyes on products, services or events that might otherwise go unnoticed by other channels.
As influencer marketing becomes increasingly common, a micro- or nanoinfluencer can convey an extra level of authenticity. With an audience of loyal followers that know, like and trust them, getting a shout out will let their followers know they recommend you as a brand to trust as well.