The business of social media is a tricky ordeal – on the surface, it looks easy. Take a snap, slap on a filter, post with the right hashtags and hope for the virtual likes and double-tapped hearts to crush the algorithm. However, professionals can’t afford to just wing it; whether or not you’ve earned that laughing emoji with your online gabs or got a few shares, without a strategy, your virtual presence can only reach so far.
In that regard, for your social media strategy to be effective, it takes more than just a picture-perfect grid. Varied tactics need to be employed in order for you to engage your audience, be it on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. Looking to transform your social media strategy? Here are some tips and tricks that can help you turn your platform from vacant to viral!
1. Put some personality into your content
No one likes fluff, fillers, or empty content no matter how Instagram-worthy or well-documented it looks. If you’re not adding a personal touch to your work, it’s going to be rather dull. Take a hint from the moniker itself – social media is meant to engage people around you. Before you can do that, however, you need to be engaging yourself.
Think of it the same way you would socialize in-person: if you don’t try to connect with people or offer nothing of sincere value, then you may just get a few awkward nods as a result. To truly hook someone, your brand needs to have a personality behind its pretty face. That means producing relatable content and responding to your audience in a way that would improve their experience with you.
2. Keep your updates consistent
Social media is a fast-paced world, and you’ll be left behind in no time if you’re only posting once a week – or worse – at random. While it takes time to pump out interesting content, your audiences’ attention span needs to be considered too. With the constant flux of algorithms in all social media platforms, you’ll need to stay on top of things to make sure your content is still reaching other people’s feeds.
After all, there’s no point in sharing if what you share isn’t seen. The more you post, the more active your profile will be – whether you upload a tweet, a quick Instagram story, or a quick snap of what you’re up to. It’s smart to keep your profile active for the most part of the week. Another thing to consider is the ideal time to post your content as countless studies show that what time you post matters.
To anticipate the right time to post, get to know your platform and your target audience. You can also make use of the analytical tools that the majority of social media platforms provide!
3. Make it more than about you
Even the most interesting person can get old really fast if all they do is highlight themselves in a conversation. It’s the same sentiment on social media, perhaps even more obvious. People tend to tune out quickly if all they see promotions about your brand – from products, music, fashion hauls, shows, or just plain merch. News flash – if you want them to respond to your ad, you have to start by engaging them. Going back to point #1, you have to produce something relevant to your audience, something that will encourage them to go back for more. After all, this is a two-way street, and how you handle your relationship with those who follow you matters.
4. Keep the platform you’re using in mind
Not all platforms are made the same, and all cater to different styles, moods, and people. Let’s say you’re promoting a new song on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. One thing to remember is that you can’t just post the same thing on all your platforms- rather, you have to tweak your content to suit their strengths and weaknesses.
For example, Instagram is ideal for sharing quality videos that are short and sweet, not to mention it’s the best place to share stunning images. It is, however, not as effective when promoting shows as it can easily get lost to an endless scroll of grids. Twitter, on the other hand, promotes a strong interaction with fans. Collaborations, fan greetings, opinions, or jokes – the 280-character limit is more than enough to build a bond.
Lastly, Facebook is ideal for sharing articles and promoting events as people can easily keep track of it. In that regard, it’s important to get to know each platform, understand where your audience tends to be most active, and use it to your advantage.
Liked this article about social media strategy? Check out this one on ‘social media vs. email marketing’.
