Did you know that 4.48 billion people use social media around the world today?
To increase your online visibility, you need to master the world of social media. From LinkedIn and Facebook to Twitter and Instagram; there are many social media platforms enjoyed today.
Having a strong presence on the platforms used by your consumer demographic is critical to ensure you boost visibility and connect with customers to create a loyal following.
However, you cannot simply dive right in and start posting messages with little thought or consideration. You need to put together a plan. So, with that being said, let’s take a look at some top tips on how to put together a robust and effective social media content strategy for your business.
- Concentrate on the right platforms
There is only one place to begin, and this is by doing research to determine what social media platforms your customers are using. You cannot simply create an account on every social media website, as you will never be able to give each one the attention it deserves.
Because of this, you need to understand your target consumer audience and learn about the sort of social media websites they are using.
For example, Pinterest is a platform that is used more by females than males, and it is especially popular with those of college-age. Therefore, if your target audience is an older male, Pinterest is probably not going to be worth your time.
Ultimately, you can create the most exciting content in the world, but if it is not reaching the right people, your efforts are not going to be effective.
- Make the most of visual content
Getting someone’s attention can be quite difficult, so it is vital to make your brand stand out from the crowd. One of the easiest ways to do this on social media is by using appealing visuals.
Use original images. Stock photos are generic, and they can create a weak brand impression. Instead, share high-resolution, high-quality photographs that you have taken yourself.
Aside from images, videos perform incredibly well on social media. In fact, viewers absorb 95 percent of the message when they are watching a video, so you know that your information is going to sink in!
There are lots of other great forms of content that are highly engaging and shareable, such as infographics.
- Include subtitles on your videos
Another tip that we have for you when it comes to managing your social media content efforts is to include subtitles on your videos. You can transcribe audio to text free of charge, so there really is no excuse with this one!
There are a number of different reasons why your videos on social media need subtitles, including the following:
- A lot of people watch videos with their audio turned off (for instance, while on their commute or at work)
- Not everyone can hear your audio, so subtitles ensure your videos reach everyone
- They can improve SEO and boost your video’s social reach
- Viewers are more engaged when videos have subtitles
- Not everyone speaks the same language as you
- Subtitles help to improve comprehension and get your message across effectively
- Create a consistent posting schedule
In addition to the points that we have mentioned so far, consistency is key when posting on social media. You cannot simply post once in one week, then 20 times in the following week. Instead, you need to put together an effective content calendar.
As humans, we like consistency. Knowing what to expect is important. If we’ve been enjoying your content one week, and then you disappear the following week, we will start to lose interest, right?
The good news is that maintaining a consistent posting schedule does not need to be difficult. There are lots of great social media tools like Buffer that enable you to schedule your social media content in the future.
- Consider influencer marketing
Another option you may want to think about is influencer marketing. At a fundamental level, influencer marketing is a form of social media advertising that utilizes product mentions and endorsements from influencers.
An influencer is an individual who has a dedicated social media following. They are considered experts in their niche.
A lot of people do not consider influencer marketing because they worry that they are going to need to spend a fortune on getting a hot celebrity to market their products. This is not the case.
You don’t need to break the bank for Kim K or David Beckham! Rather, it is about following someone who has a good social following in your niche. For example, if you sell health food supplements, you may want to consider linking up with a popular vegan food blogger.
You are looking for someone who is already engaged with your ideal audience, so when they do a post on your behalf, you know it is going to reach a group of people who are interested in what you have got to offer.
- Share reviews and customer testimonials on social media
Next, we advise that you use social media to showcase to people just how good your products and services are. However, the way to do this is by sharing consumer testimonials and reviews.
No one wants to view an endless string of promotional and self-indulgent messages on social media. If you simply use Twitter or Facebook to post about your products and special offers, you are only going to end up causing frustration and irritation.
After all, social media is about indirect forms of marketing and building loyal connections.
It is for this reason that customer reviews are beneficial. Reviews and testimonials represent excellent forms of social proof. We are going to be more likely to believe what another customer has to say than a self-crafted sales pitch, right?
- Spend time learning about the latest trends
One thing we know about social media and the Internet, in general, is that it never remains stagnant. It is a fast-paced environment that is changing all of the time. Therefore, what’s “in” today, make not be the in-thing in a year’s time.
Because of this, it is important to make sure you spend some time staying up to date on all of the latest news and trends.
There are some great social media blogs you can follow for this sort of information, including:
- The Future Buzz
- Social Media Explorer
- Social Media Today
- HubSpot Marketing
- Mari Smith
- Rebekah Radice
- SocialMedia.biz
- Social Media Examiner
- The Social Media Hat
- Host contests on social media
The final piece of advice that we have for you when it comes to building your social media content strategy is to host contests on social media.
Contests are highly effective because who doesn’t like free things? Your post will get shared by lots of people, and therefore, you will find yourself reaching tons of people across social media!
For this to be the case, though, you are going to need to get the format right. Here are three options that work well:
- User-generated content – With this option, users create posts according to the theme you have provided, and they tag your business in the post in order to enter.
- Tag a friend – The greater the number of people tag, the more entries the person gets.
- Like, comment, and share – This is the most popular format used in social media contests today. A user must be following your account, next they need to like the post, leave a comment, and share it with their friends to enter.
You can see lots of great examples of social media contests that have worked well to get inspiration.
One thing you do need to remember is that there are rules in place when it comes to running contests on various social media platforms, so make sure you check these out before you get started.
For example, one of the rules on Facebook and Instagram is to acknowledge that your social media contest is not sponsored by either platform. You also cannot ask users to tag photos inaccurately.
On Twitter, you are not allowed to ask people to post the same tweet over and over again, nor can you encourage users to create a number of accounts. You also need to stay away from spam and you are not allowed to use or encourage content that jeopardizes the safety of the user.
Final words on building a robust social media content strategy
So there you have it: some useful tips and pieces of advice on putting together a solid and effective social media strategy.
From transcribing your videos to posting on a consistent basis, there are many steps you can take to make sure you are using social media effectively.
It is also important to make sure you continue to address your social media content strategy as time goes on, as trends are changing all of the time.
If you stay on top of this, you will find that social media can be a highly effective way of creating a loyal following and, ultimately, increasing your sales.
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