Over the years, social media has increased in popularity, not only for the average person but also for businesses. Social media sites give you the ability to reach a large audience, share products and services, and engage with potential customers. Social media has proven to be a valuable tool to help start a business or help business growth.
However, there are so many social media platforms, tools, and marketing strategies to help business owners create and share information. Optimizing your social media to stand out and remain relevant in an ever-changing market is essential. Here are some ways that you can create engaging content and grow your business.
Post What Interests Your Audience
Posting valuable and interesting content is the easiest way to engage your audience and reach new customers. Look at your audience and think about what interests them the most. It may be facts, funny captions, creative videos, innovative ideas, or testimonials.
A good way to test what interests your audience is to post various content on your social networking sites. Pay attention to the traffic on those posts and see what receives the most engagement. From there, you can duplicate that success in future posts.
Likes, comments, and shares are ways people will engage with your content. The algorithm for social media works by rewarding businesses with increased engagement on their post. When someone consistently interacts with your posts, they are more likely to see your future posts. When someone comments on or shares your posts, the content reaches people that you may not have reached before.
As you will see, interesting content leads to increased engagement which will allow you to reach new audiences and potential customers.
Focus on high-quality images and videos
One of the most important things to consider when increasing engagement is the quality of images and videos. Every post should have some type of visual. The visual can be a photo, video, graphic, or web preview.
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Photos should have a clear focal point, such as a person or object, with minimal interfering aspects or clutter. The focal point should be well-lit, easy to comprehend, and clear to the viewer
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Videos should be less than 30 seconds and grab the viewer's attention within the first few seconds.
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Graphics should be balanced, clear, and concise in the information they are presenting.
Make sure to relate the visual to the caption or content that you are sharing with your audience. This eliminates confusion and allows your post to be easily digestible and therefore, easily engaged with.
Keep the conversation going
As you see engagement increasing on your posts, encourage further engagement by replying to comments and interacting with your audience. By replying to comments, you demonstrate that you appreciate the engagement. It will also show your audience that they are interacting with someone who cares about them.
Don’t be afraid to start a conversation in the comment section. Then, you can ask other people to jump in and share their thoughts. Those comments increase your engagement and boost your social media presence in the long run.
Become a thought leader
In a world with oversaturation of content, it is important to post new and innovative content. By setting yourself up as a thought leader, you encourage people to engage. They may not have heard or seen this content before!
Did you know? Estimates say that the average person in the United States sees 4,000-10,000 ads every day?
Becoming a thought leader comes from posting innovative content, posting with confidence, and sharing your own experiences. Try posting about:
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A new take on a trending topic
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Interesting things you have noticed in your business
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Creative ideas you have tried
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Something clever and unique you started doing
Remember, you are the expert in your business! Sharing your expertise is what will make you emerge as a thought leader and encourage your audience to engage.
Include a call to action
People need direction! Give them that direction with a call to action.
A call to action is a statement that encourages your audience to act after seeing your post. Examples include click here, comment your experience, learn more on our website, sign up for our email list…etc. Increase engagement by including a call to action that asks your audience to comment or share your post.
Have fun!
Finally, have fun with your social media marketing! Don’t treat your social media accounts as a chore or as something that has to be robotic and cold. It is obvious to your audience when you are having fun, enjoying your business, and interacting with your customers. Let your personality and your business’s personality shine in your posts.
Each person and business is unique in its own way. Capitalize on your unique social media presence to increase your engagement and grow your business.
Want to learn more about showcasing your business on social media? Check out our previous blog for additional ideas on how to spotlight your business through social media.
