6 Tricks to Better Promote Your Business’s Social Media

[This article was written by Anita Ginsburg.]

In only a few short years, social media exploded in popularity. Businesses found that sharing content online boosts exposure and their bottom line. However, create a solid marketing strategy can be intimidating, especially if you’re just starting out.

While refining your social media presence is an ongoing process, there are steps you can take to get things moving in the right direction. Below are six tricks to help promote your business on social media.

Pick Your Platforms

Using social media for business is far different than simply using it for fun. Businesses need to first determine where their target audience spends most of their time. Depending on your niche, you may find that Instagram yields better results than Facebook or Twitter.

It’s generally good to have accounts on multiple social media platforms to increase your viewership. However, you might still focus on just one or two accounts if they are more profitable.

Provide Value

More important than any content you create is the value. Always put quality over quantity. You’re trying to attract the right type of customers to your business, so posting content that has little to no value just doesn’t work. Give your target audience content they want to see, share and talk about with you.

Create a Content Calendar

Posting simply for sake of posting is like fishing without bait. You keep throwing your line in the water, but the fish simply ignore it. You can apply this theory to social media as well. You need to create a content calendar that gives your target audience what they want.

Plan your posts in a way that people know they can turn to you for the answers to their questions. The goal of social media is to boost awareness, increase engagement and ultimately convert leads into customers.

Your calendar should be taking into account the best time to post on Instagram and other social media platforms each day. If you post at a time few people are checking their social media, it’s likely that your post will be buried by the time that people start looking. It may take some trial and error to find the right time for your posts. In general, though, mid-day and mid-week are the most useful times to post.

Avoid Intrusive Marketing

Promoting your business now and again is fine, however, if everything you post sounds like an infomercial, you’re going to lose credibility fast. The seven-in-one rule works well when trying to build a following. Out of seven posts, only one should be promotional while the others are content for your audience to enjoy.

Start a Conversation

The whole point of being on social is to be social. Businesses need to post content that sparks a conversation. Run contests, take polls, or simply ask for feedback to get the conversation moving in the right direction.

If people are interacting with your page either by tagging your company or by sending direct messages, be sure to respond from time to time. This will encourage future interaction and will help your page build a following.

Shoot Video

When looking to capture attention, you can’t go wrong with video. Since video content stands out more than still photos, so as people scroll through their feeds, they’re more likely to stop and see what your video is about.

Growing your online presence can only be compared to growing a garden. If you nurture it and give it the attention it needs, eventually it will bloom. Use social media as a means to grow your brand and watch your company blossom.

Author Bio:

Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.