No one can deny the enormous marketing opportunities that social media provides. From Facebook and Twitter to Instagram and Pinterest, the world seems to be one giant digital platform. Some business owners assume that all they need to do is step on stage, and suddenly their new fans will swarm them with attention and buying power. Unfortunately, as many frustrated entrepreneurs have learned the hard way, this simply isn't a realistic vision of how social media actually works. For every viral post, there's a million that barely got a click. Time is extremely valuable to business owners, and it can be irritating to spend an entire afternoon crafting a blog post only to hear crickets after publishing to all your social channels. At iboost, we help businesses of all sizes around the country skyrocket their digital influence and online marketing to the next level. If you're tired of getting zero buzz, take some of these tips into consideration the next time you press "post".
Publish Consistently Valuable Content
If you're only publishing a boring sales pitch once every few weeks, you can't expect for there to be very much interest. Social media is "social". That means you must create meaningful relationships if you want your followers to remember you. Most of the social media algorithms choose the content that gets placed in a user's feed based on previous clicks. So, the more they click on your posts, the more likely they will see your content in the future. Create a routine and stick to it. This will significantly increase engagement and improve your chances of getting followers to take action rather than just scrolling past your hard work.
Use Quality Images
We live in a visually based society. When people are using their smart phones, tablets or laptops on a social site, they are usually taking a break. Often, these quick escapes only last a few minutes, so people usually scan through their feed quickly, only stopping when something catches their eye. Therefore, a few sentences that's gotten no engagement isn't likely to win anyone's attention. If you really want to stand out, you've got to upgrade your creative process and use high quality, original images that are branded and recognizable.
Be Selective with Your Post Info - Embed Links and Don't Forget the Call to Action
A great picture and interesting comment provides little benefit if the viewer isn't inspired to do something with the information. Always, always provide a call to action. Not all images and posts are linked to another site. Therefore, it's important that a post tells the audience what to do next. Be aware of the social channels limitations. For example, Twitter only allows a certain number of characters in one tweet. A Facebook post will only feature the first few sentences before they prompt the follower to "see more". Put the most vital information, links and calls to action at the beginning so they automatically know what the post is about.
#Hashtags Are Essential
Remember that the point of using social media is to grow your following. If you aren't using hashtags, you're not attracting a new audience. Your posts may float on the wall of people who already like your brand, but if you're wanting to maximize exposure never post anything on social media without using a hashtag. Research which hashtags are most popular for your topic, and what the preferred number of hashtags are for different platforms. For example, on Instagram, multiple hashtags are highly encouraged because they are the main method of searching for discoverable content. However, on Facebook, your post may appear spammy and be ignored by both the algorithm and your followers.
Ready to Increase Your Online Authority and Gain More Customers? Get Help from the Experts at iBoost
Are you tired of trying to juggle your SEO, blogging and social media tasks with the long list of other responsibilities? Running a business takes a lot of work, and not everyone has the budget to employ an entire digital marketing department. You know how important online advertising can be for growing your company, but there simply isn't enough time or money left to do it all yourself. Let the experienced professionals at iBoost save the day. Hiring our team of specialists is like getting a dedicated digital marketing staff, but without the overhead or headache. If you're ready to boost your online audience, contact the iBoost team today.
