Starting a social account for your business, auto-posting links from your company blog and waiting to be found is not a social media strategy, but it is how public accounts get lost in the shuffle. Be proactive in putting your message in front of your audience by exploring all the features of the platform.
Frequent social media updates can help you build a loyal following, leading to an uptick in word-of-mouth marketing via online reviews and ratings. Your new social posse could also foster more conversations among readers, developing your brand reputation and bolstering a positive image among current customers, according to Social Media Today.
Facebook and Instagram are constantly implementing new features to help businesses connect with fans and customers. But are you taking full advantage of these new avenues to engagement?
Revving Your Engine on Facebook
CMS Wire reported that recent news feed changes on Facebook are emphasizing posts from personal friends and family over businesses. Social media marketers are navigating the social platform with extra attention on creating posts that encourage interaction, rather than passively educating or informing readers. The key: Make your updates direct and personal.
That CMS Wire article quoted Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg saying that businesses should focus on live videos that start conversations on important issues. Facebook wants to see back-and-forth discussions about hot topics. Gone are the days of driving engagement with recorded video clips.
Asking readers to leave a comment, click a link or take some other action is still frowned upon and will get your social media updates demoted in the news feed. Interactions on Facebook need to be organic and generate likes, comments and shares to earn distribution. If you don't have a social media manager regularly nurturing conversations, now is the time to add that to your strategy.
On the bright side, paid advertising will still earn the reach that you designate when boosting a post. If you haven't allocated a budget for Facebook yet, it might be time to consider that option.
Getting in the Instagram Winner's Circle
Instagram users love the immediacy of the stories feature. Your audience has 24 hours to see what you've been up to and then the story disappears.
The platform recently expanded stories by unveiling a new carousel ads feature. Now instead of showing viewers one photo or one video, businesses can display three pieces of content (any mix of photos or videos) to create a more cohesive storytelling service, according to Search Engine Journal.
For posts in the Instagram feed, Convince & Convert recommended brushing up on your use of hashtags to get more views. Place hashtags in the caption area of your images (not in the comments) to get them indexed publicly from a public business account. C&C added that it helps to think of hashtags like emojis — use them to show personality, emotions and trends.
If you need assistance figuring out where to go with your social media accounts, reach out to a marketing professional who can craft the perfect social media marketing strategy to get your audience talking!
