You’ve made your business a social media profile, on as many different platforms as you can think of. You’ve made sure your handles and bios are as consistent as possible, and you’re ready to start posting!
But you’ve already run into a bit of a hitch: the content you’ve put out isn’t getting any interaction at all. It’s a very common problem for smaller brands and businesses on social media. The algorithms don’t tend to favor new, low-engagement posts over those that already have a depth of interest. And even then, people with thousands of followers or more can see these engagement dips occur too!
So how do you take any kind of control over your social media presence and who it’s reaching? It’s about ensuring you understand your audience, and that you’re keenly aware of what they want from a business like yours. Many people don’t know where to start with such a task, so here are a few pointers to keep in mind.
Something for Them
It’s not just what you say or the images you use. It’s not just the appearance of relevancy. It’s the actual substance of what you’re offering, too. And when it comes to social media, this is the best place to build a community based around ‘hype’. Your website and blog are where your informational content is best posted, and social media is where you can get people excited.
So, what makes an audience most excited? Something for them! Discounts, product deals, giveaways and competitions, event announcements, etc. These are all things that get a person to pay attention, like and follow, and leave comments, because they can actually gain something here.
A Response
Being active on social media is the best way to encourage people to come back for more. Never forget the emphasis on ‘social’ when using these platforms. You need to be creating content that gets them involved, and when they do take that step, you’re right there to meet them.
That’s something a lot of brands forget, but you can take advantage of that. You can be the kind of business that actually gives a bit more back. And not just by liking their comments, but by fully responding to the things they have to say. Answer their questions, thank them for their compliments, and invite them to discuss things further in private messages.
Something That’s Been Authentically Made
Authenticity on social media can be in very short supply. A lot of businesses out there seem to choose a ‘corporate’ voice and stick with it, refusing to pepper in any personality or charm. Even if you have a more serious tone, you can still let your communication quirks shine through. It makes you more relatable and approachable, and that’s often what people need to see.
You’re more original this way. You’re more authentic. And when you post something, people will recognize it for more than just the same colors and logo that you use. And speaking of originality, did you know that AI content tends to get quite a negative reaction?
Opinions on AI do vary wildly across the net, but there’s rather a strong sentiment about brands relying on AI generated content: that it’s lazy. Similarly, many people believe it speaks of the same poor quality that can be found in the company’s product as well. So when it comes to your content process, AI tools can certainly help you to come up with post ideas, but you need to make the content yourself.
And when you read it back, you’ll want to run it through a checker that shows you how to tell if something is ai generated – just to be sure your post reads well, makes sense, and doesn’t contain any outright wrong or fabricated information!
The Best Ways to Find Your Audience
Get to Know Your Demographic
Who is your audience? What’s their age? What’s their income level? How much free time do they have? Where can you find them?
The more you know your demographic, the easier it is to create content both for them and in a place where they can find it.
Understand What They Want
Now you know your general demographic, think about the more specific concerns, wants, and needs that make up this community.
What does your audience want? And if you spoke to more than one person within your audience, would you hear different things?
Creating social media content that speaks to this diverse scale of audience desire is the best way to bring people in.
Be On The Right Platform
Your target audience isn’t going to be on every social media platform you can think of. They’re going to be concentrated primarily in one area.
It’s easiest to go by age range. For example, people aged 50 and over are most likely to be on Facebook, while those aged 18 to 24 are most likely to be on TikTok or Instagram.
When you’re on the right platform to begin with, you have a better chance of getting the word out.
Make Social Media Content Your Audience Will Enjoy
And not just enjoy, but feel free to engage with as well. Because there are ways to do it, even if the algorithm doesn’t seem to ever push your posts.
You’ll have to do a bit more outbound marketing yourself, but when the audience lands on your profile and finds everything they’ve ever wanted from your content, they’re going to stick around, and even recommend you too.
So make sure you know your demographic, where they are, and what they want to see. And remember, when you’re authentic in the way you post, you’re going to create a much more loyal and engaged following in the long run.
Above all, don’t just throw up any posts you could make, just to make sure you’ve got something keeping you relevant. Stick to your branding, be informative and original, and never underestimate the power of a good deal!
Photo by Lisa from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-midnight-black-samsung-galaxy-s8-turn-on-near-macbook-pro-1092671/