We’ve teamed up with fellow Social Media Manager Sonia Irani to share her favourite fundamental social media tips for small business owners. For an update on how the social media algorithms affect your reach, read our ‘Social Media Update‘ post!
3 Ways to Boost Social Media Engagement & Gain Followers.
There’s no question that a strong media presence is vital to building a personal relationship with prospective customers. And, the fact that half of the world’s population, approximately 3.8 billion people[1], are active social media users means there are billions of potential buyers waiting to discover you.
But, when it comes time to engage with your viewers. It’s easy to get overwhelmed.
Am I doing it right?
Do I sound professional?
Is this really beneficial to my business?
Increasing your post engagements and building a loyal following doesn’t have to be overwhelming or difficult. Here are a few social media tips you can start implementing today.
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Ask Questions
At the most basic level, you’re going to increase engagement by … you guessed it … engaging with your followers.
But this requires more than a standard post. You want your followers to interact with you, so ask them a question. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should be relevant to your business, current and thought provoking. An outdoors company may ask “Would you rather hike in a forest or lay out on the beach?” Perhaps a financial advisor would ask followers for the best piece of investment advice they’ve ever received.
Whatever the topic, ask the question, read the replies from your followers … AND THEN REPLY.
Every. Single. Time.
Your response holds the magic behind asking the question. Responding to followers shows them that you are engaged and that you care. Followers like to know a human being saw and digested their response … that they didn’t waste their time.
The more you ask questions of your audience and answer their responses, the faster you’ll see your number of followers skyrocket.
Include Images with Posts
There’s just no getting around it. Posts that include something lovely or interesting to look at perform better than those without. According to Facebook, posts made on their platform that include an image are 2.3 times more likely to engage followers than those without[2].
And, remember, you aren’t limited to photos (though those are certainly popular). Well-crafted visuals like charts, graphs … even comics … have the potential to capture the attention of a scrolling follower.
As you post images, keep the aesthetic similar throughout your feed. Use the same colour scheme for visuals/graphs and the same editing process/filters for photographs. Your followers will appreciate and respond to your consistency.
Funny Gets Followers
We know that posts which evoke emotion tend to earn more engagement. And humour is a great way to get your current followers to interact with your post and to increase the likelihood that they’ll share your page with others.
Remember, funny doesn’t mean crass or inappropriate (unless that is your audience, then the sky’s the limit!). Posts that are charming…or witty…or clever are often enough to create an emotional response in followers.
You may be thinking your business doesn’t lend itself to humorous posts. Even if that is the case, make a goal of writing one humorous post a week to include in your social media feed. You might be surprised at the amount of positive attention it receives.
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It’s
easy to feel overwhelmed when deciding how to increase your engagement and woo
new followers. And, it does require a bit of a time investment. But, I think
you’ll find, as you ask and answer questions of followers, you’ll begin to
build meaningful relationships with them. And that is a surefire way to grow
your audience.
Sonia Irani is an experienced marketer who has been working for companies big and small for over a decade. It wasn’t until she started working with Small Businesses that she realised where her skills could best be utilised. And that is what her business, Little Miss Purple is all about. “I personally want to help small business owners who have tight budgets and big dreams about their business growth.” Known for her skills and integrity coupled with a positive outlook, Sonia is a great asset to any business or team she has worked with.
Thanks for sharing your social media tips with us, Sonia!
