Are you stuck in a rut and wondering how you can expand your social media presence? The marketing experts at Hyport Digital are here to help elevate and grow your brand’s social media strategy.
The world of social media is constantly evolving – it can be tough to stay on top of trends when seemingly each platform changes weekly. But knowing how to best use social media can do wonders for your business. You can communicate with your audience, feature new product releases, offer giveaways, host Q&A’s… the possibilities are endless.
However, one size does not fit all. A business that specializes in real estate should not have the same social media approach as a food and beverage company. Knowing how to best leverage social media to your specific brand’s advantage is key. So read on; we’ve got some secrets to ensure your company’s social media strategy is at its A-game!
Know Your Target Audience
As mentioned above, one size does not fit all. Social media strategies need to be curated to fit your specific brand. Think about the people who are currently buying your product – who are they? Avid runners, beauty lovers, or people looking to buy a home? Millennials, new parents, or retirees? Think of what your ideal customer values – is this their family, finances, education? You won’t be able to effectively communicate with your audience if you don’t understand them from a human and consumer perspective. Brainstorming is a healthy exercise that can help you better understand your audience and their needs. Once you have defined your target audience, creating a tone for your channel will be easier, and then you can focus on offering social media content that appeals to them.
Engage Your Audience
Once you’ve defined your target audience, you’ll want to build a fluid communication plan with your customers. If they send a message, respond in a prompt manner. If they post questions on your page, directly reply to that comment or provide them with an email or phone number to contact the company. You don’t want to overlook the opportunities for engagement on your social media channels – you could easily turn these conversations into conversions. Consumers want to feel heard by the brands they love, so aim to make each connection as meaningful as possible.
Another thoughtful way to engage with your audience is tagging locations and using relevant hashtags in your posts. You’ll find the most success with this tactic on Instagram, where users can easily browse hashtags and locations with the tap of a button. Don’t miss your opportunity to catch browsing users – your content may be showcased to thousands of users depending on your hashtag or location.
Social media strategies need to be curated to fit your specific brand.
Use UGC
User-generated content (UGC) is an organic approach that is well-received by social media users. The process begins by engaging with your audience and encouraging them to share images or videos featuring your product or service. You may even have more UGC than you think. Take a second to view your tagged posts – you might find content from users who are already showing off your product or service.
To maximize the impact of this content, feature fans’ creations on your brand’s social pages, but remember to always ask permission first and tag them in the eventual post. Most users are happy to have their image and profile gain traction, but some may expect compensation for their work. Play it safe and send a friendly message to the content creator, complimenting their photography and asking if your brand could feature their image on social media channels.
Consumers want to feel heard by the brands they love, so aim to make each connection as meaningful as possible.
Consider Freebies or Giveaways
Want an instant way to draw users toward your brand? Offer free merchandise, complementary services, or a first-time purchase incentive. This could be something as simple as free coffee, branded goods, or a car wash. People love receiving freebies, so put together a plan to determine how your brand can make giveaways possible.
Concerned about money and resources? Consider some sort of contest where only the top three winners receive a prize. This will not only spark buzz around your brand, but it will also create urgency and scarcity. This sort of contest is less straining on your company’s budget, and can help promote a specific product or service.
Influencers
If budget allows, consider partnering with an influencer. Even a small to midsize influencer can greatly increase brand recognition. In a survey of marketers, a staggering 89% of respondents said “ROI from influencer marketing was comparable to or better than other networks.”
Similar to UGC, this is an approach the social media community values and trusts. Influencers aim to create genuine and valuable relationships with their followers, and this is also true with the brands they promote. With the right influencer, you’ll be putting your product in front of an eager crowd, using a figure whose opinion is highly trusted. Be sure to do your research on which influencers could connect best to your audience – consider the way they communicate, their style, and what niche they fit in. Is their niche the same as your target audience? Browse their page and see which companies they’ve worked with in the past – are these your competitors? Are they in your industry? These are all important factors to consider, so take your time investigating to find the influencer who will work best with your brand.
Using social media can grow your business by increasing brand awareness and generating leads. Still have some questions before you dive in?
Get in touch with us to learn how Hyport Digital can help your business achieve its potential through social media.
