There are times where the #1 thing I’ve been asked is: “Jasmine, how do I get more followers so my engagement improves?” Social media is a hub of connection and a large follower count is only part of the equation to a successful social media page. If you go into your social media strategy concerned with faceless followers racking in the thousands, you may find this blog post useful.
engagement =/= followers
Think of “window-shopping” when you were younger. One of the stories I hold fondly is spending a Saturday at our local mall, going from shop to shop to browse and take a look around. It was so much fun recalling it, a teenager with only 10 dollars in her pocket going into a high-end fashion store or even a video game store… it was a typical way to spend the day!
Looking back at it NOW? Oh… I’m sure those working in these shops hated me because I didn’t ENGAGE in the business, just peeked my head in and left!
It’s the same way with social media: even if thousands of followers sound tempting… what you REALLY want is to work on improving engagement (in addition to that follower count). Businesses at the mall want people in their stores, sure, but what they really want is people buying their products. Engagement is the difference between follower and potential customer.
what’s engagement?
Social media engagement is measured by a range of metrics that could include the following:
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Shares, saves or retweets
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Comments
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Likes
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Followers and audience growth
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Click-throughs
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Mentions (either tagged or untagged)
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Using branded hashtags
It’s not simply something like a follower count, but it is built on strategy. As much as a couple thousand followers may seem tempting… just like teenagers in a mall with no money: how does that help business? Followers hang around, but if you don’t strategize to convert them to customers or engaged fans, what’s the purpose?
While you could just cross your fingers and hope that your followers just start spontaneously sharing and chatting on your posts… chances are this won’t happen. You can build your strategy around a few key things.
know your audience
It’s difficult to endear your business to earn engagement. Think about it: you are one of SEVERAL accounts that someone may follow, you need to give them reason to STOP scrolling and engage. By knowing your audience, you give them reason to.
The sort of language, tone, and resources that resonate are likely going to be different for a balloon decor company versus a dog grooming company. If you take time to create audience personas, and tailor your marketing to them… you can determine:
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what social media platforms to focus your attention on
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what time of day to publish
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what content benefits them
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how to speak to them
By knowing your audience, you are able to take the next step: creating and sharing valuable content.
create content that stands out
It is so simple to post things we are proud of as our business: our latest work, latest product, or exciting news about our business. However, your focus should be on your audience. Your customers are the main character and you should support them, not hog the spotlight. Providing things that will benefit them in addition to sales-centric posts will create valuable content.
A beauty company can tote their facemask selection or promote their latest item, but by reworking their content… they involve their social media followers.
Don’t be afraid to be creative! Here’s a few examples of how to balance your post from just promotional to an engagement-driven message:
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Ask questions, take polls, encourage followers to comment
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Spotlight customers who use your products or services: tell their story
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Give tips in things related to your business (for example, how to clean a make-up brush or what lipstick colors are popular in spring)
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Stay topical by including current events into your post (for example, talking about award-winning products during Oscar season or football color eyeshadows with team colors for the Superbowl) *
keep the conversation going
Reactive engagement and proactive engagement are crucial for continuing a post’s attention. When you’re reactive, you’re answering direct messages, mentions, or comments directly from followers. When you’re proactive, you’re sparking conversation like going into a viral post that may be based in your industry and commenting.
For small businesses, my favorite way to keep the conversation going is to follow the following:
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local leaders: chamber of commerce, business groups, networking organizations
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small businesses that are popular in your area, no matter the industry
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industry leaders: businesses you aspire to be (which is a perfect chance to thank them or engage with THEIR posts too!)
By being speedy with your comments or responses, you get more eyes on you and allows you to stay ahead of the game. Each conversation should be dealt with in a somewhat timely manner and it’s ok to take breaks — but this is an extension of your business that should not be dropped.
put the social back in social media
These simple ways to post are common and used by big-time businesses to connect with their followers in a new way. At the root of it, that is what social media is about: connecting with one another. Take time to turn a comment into a conversation and you’ll be surprised that your followers can advance to something more: a loyal customer.
* Disclaimer: this is at the digression of your business message. Politics can be a slippery slope, so be mindful of where you want your business to stand.
