We had such fun putting together our 21 top tips for 2021, and even more fun reading all your comments and feedback saying how much they have helped you up your social media game that we thought we’d give you 21 more for the rest of the year! If you’re looking to up your digital marketing game, take a look at this extensive list for some quick and easy pieces of advice that will help!
1. Story Time
Facebook and Instagram stories appear for 24 hours at the top of your followers’ newsfeeds and are a great way to show that your business is open and active. Saving stories as highlights can also be useful for pinning important information such as opening times to the top of your profile.
2. Go Live!
Did you know that Facebook users watch live videos 3 times longer than pre-uploaded ones? Live videos are a great way to interact directly with your followers, and enable you to answer any questions right then and there. Facebook also notifies your followers when you are going live so they know to tune in.
3. Ask Your Audience
Polls are a great way to find out what your audience really thinks. They are also one of the most engaging post types on Facebook and far more likely to get a response than asking the same question in a text post. So, next time you’re struggling to decide what time is best to launch your new product, or even what colour to paint your office walls, why not take to the polls and see what your followers think?
4. Maximise your Bio with Linktree
Although Instagram only allows accounts to add one link into their bio, a handy app called Linktr.ee enables you to create a simple landing page with multiple links, so you can send your followers wherever they need to go.
5. Stop Underestimating Video
Did you know that organic video posts receive 38% more engagement than image posts? Instead of constantly posting static images, next time why not think about how you can deliver that message through video instead?
6. Turn Followers into Subscribers
Your digital marketing strategy shouldn’t stop with your social media. Use these platforms to encourage your followers to subscribe to your mailing list so you can further target them. Think about what you can offer your followers in return for signing up or what added value there is for them.
7. Test, Test, Test!
Long text posts or just a sentence or two? Live video or pre-recorded? Informative graphic or video tutorial? Every audience is different and the only way to find out what works best for your audience is to try different things and track which generates the most engagement.
8. SOCIAL Media
So many businesses are competing for the attention of social media users that they forget what the platforms were designed for in the first place. Social media was made to be social; interacting with your audience is key to your success. Make sure you are responding to messages, answering questions and replying to posts and comments that mention you.
9. Understand Your Audience
Knowing who your audience is, is essential to your social media strategy. When you are writing a post, imagine you are speaking directly to your ideal customer. Can they relate to what you’re saying? Are you grabbing their attention? If not, have a think about their interests, tone, and what you can change to keep them engaged.
10. Pick Your Platforms
When you’re getting started with your social media strategy, don’t make the mistake of setting up a profile on every platform under the sun and giving yourself too much to manage. Have a think about where your audience is and prioritise posting quality content on just those platforms. You can always expand to other platforms when you’re more established.
11. Remember your SPAG
We all make the odd typo or spelling mistake and it’s completely human. However, consistent spelling and grammatical errors can lower the professionality and trustworthiness of your brand. Frequent errors can lead people to think that your company is a scam. If you are lazy with your spelling and proof-reading, what does that say about your services?
12. Own your Mistakes
We are all human and we all make mistakes. Instead of quietly sweeping them under the rug, accept and apologise for them. Work on fixing your mistakes and tell your customers what you have learned. Chances are they’ll love to know that you’re improving and therefore able to offer better services.
13. Lights, Camera, Caption!
Did you know that 85% of videos on Facebook are watched without the sound? Captions make your videos more accessible to the hard of hearing, but not only that, they enable them to be watched in quiet or public places where headphones may not be available. Not captioning your videos can result in less views and less viewers watching your videos through to the end.
14. Stop Sitting on the Fence
Don’t hide away from controversial topics – disagreements get people talking! Many posts that go viral highlight a sensitive issue or talking point. Just one mention of pineapple and pizza will have your audience divided. But, more importantly, they’ll be rushing to the comments to share their opinion!
15. The Power of Timing
When is your audience most active? Many businesses find their followers to be online most in the evenings, but if you’re targeting businesses on LinkedIn, you may find they’re making use of their profile as part of their working day. Pay attention to what times your posts get the most engagement and plan your content to go out at these times.
16. Build Your Credibility
Just given a customer great service? Why not ask them to leave a review on your Google or Facebook page? Another happy customer has eaten in your restaurant? Ask them to ‘check in’ or tag you in their photos. Proving your reliability with your current client base makes your prospects more likely to invest in you. It’s one thing you saying how great you are, but something elese entirely when a member of the public says it.
17. Forget your Follow Count
Stop worrying about the number of people following your social media accounts and instead shift your attention to keeping them engaged. The number of followers you have means nothing if they’re not engaging and reacting to your posts. Focus on keeping your current followers engaged and more followers will surely come.
18. Celebrate your Achievements
Celebratory posts are great for generating engagement. Whether it’s your brand’s birthday, or a milestone of the number of followers you have reached, your audience wants to see you win and share in your success.
19. Encourage UGC
User Generated Content is great for social proof and is a form of free advertising. Inspire your customers to post their own content about your brand and tag you in their photos. This gives you great content to share and also puts your brand in front of a wider audience.
20. Understand Your Platforms
When you first discover the convenience of social media scheduling, it’s easy to make the mistake of scheduling all your posts in one go across each of your accounts. However, this can result in posts that may be perfect for one platform but problematic on another. For instance, a Facebook post can include a clickable link, however, this won’t work on Instagram. Likewise, if your Facebook posts have been re-posted from Instagram, be sure not to include ‘link in bio’.
21. Tell Your Story
Everyone loves a good story, they are a great way to engage, entertain and to help people get a better understanding of you. Use this to your advantage in your social media content to show your followers the human side of your business. People don’t buy into brands – they buy into the story behind brands. Use your story to reinforce your brand’s message and the things that you stand for.
And if you get stuck with any of the above, you know where we are!
Contact a member of the Social Progress team on 01484 506336 or at info@socialprogress.co.uk