Harnessing social media as a marketing tool for your business isn’t just powerful — it’s essential. If you’re not using social media or not using it correctly, you’re missing out on a massive amount of revenue. It’s that simple. But what’s the key to using social media correctly? How can you utilize social media to get the engagement you need to boost your brand awareness?
We’re going to cover 3 simple rules to follow when using social media, that will reap huge results (and revenue) if applied consistently.
#1 The 80/20 Rule
This rule states that 80% of the content you post should entertain or provide value to your audience, and only 20% of the content you post should directly promote your business.
For example, if you’re running a marketing agency, you should post valuable, informative content 80% of the time — such as tutorials, how your audience can improve their business with different marketing strategies, free marketing templates, and tools, etc. Only 20% of your content should be informing your audience about your company, what services or products you offer, promotional discounts, and how your followers can get in touch.
The reason for this rule is simple: if you’re constantly churning out content that promotes your business, your followers are going to switch off, as they’ve probably been targeted with 101 ads before they’ve had breakfast. Instead, offer more unconditional value, and watch how your audience not only engage more but also become loyal fans of your business.
#2 Post Frequently (And At The Right Times)
Posting frequently may seem quite obvious. But many times, some business owners will post either too little or even worse, too much.
If you’re not posting enough, this can harm your overall engagement, as social network algorithms will favor accounts that post more frequently. However, if you post too much, you’ll not only be penalized by social network algorithms, but you could overload your audience — causing them to not engage with you.
Depending on the platform, you want to post a minimum of once a day. If you’re using more long-form content, like YouTube videos promoting your business, aim for 1-2 posts per week. However, one of the best ways to utilize most social platforms, like Instagram, is to use the Stories feature to show exclusive, behind the scenes content. Post Stories as much as you like — try to aim for 5–10 posts per day.
Also, posting at the right time is essential. Most social platforms will offer analytics tools to show you when the majority of your audience is online. However, there are third-party tools, such as Audiense for Twitter, that will analyze your audience and tell you the best time for you to post.
Timing your posts for when your followers are most active is the most effective way to get the most out of each post.
#3 Engage With Other People
You may have heard the saying “when you give, you shall receive”. That saying is so true when it comes to social media. The best way of boosting your engagement is by engaging with other businesses and people.
Whenever someone leaves feedback on one of your posts, ALWAYS respond to them — either like or reply to their comment. Social media is the perfect way to make your brand seem more personable, and your audience will massively appreciate you engaging with them.
Also, go out of your way to leave likes and comments on other people’s content. Maybe there’s a business you deal with or loyal fans who post great content. Be on the lookout for places where you can leave a comment to show your appreciation for someone else’s post. Again, this will be massively appreciated by the person receiving the feedback and will help to solidify your relationship with them, as they’ll most likely begin to engage with you more regularly.
Reap What You Sow
Social media can often seem like a mysterious, highly-complex tool to master. However, it is straightforward once you understand a few principles — like the one we’ve highlighted in this article.
To boost the number of people engaging with your brand on social media, you must post the right amount of entertaining, useful content, post at the correct times, and ALWAYS engage with your audience. Be proactive when engaging with your audience, and see how it helps to grow your brand.
To learn more about how you can utilize social media to grow your business, check out some of the latest posts on our blog.
Written by Lewis James