Why do some companies thrive on social media while others don’t? There’s a little bit of luck involved, of course, but social media magic is also something that you have to make happen on your own.
As of the first quarter of 2020, there were more than 4.2 billion active social media users — a growth of 490 million users from twelve months prior. That’s 53 percent of the world’s population — and as of 2019, that number included:
- 90.4 percent of Millennials
- 77.5 percent of Generation X
- 48.2 percent of Baby Boomers
With so much of your audience likely engaging on social media, you can see just how big the potential pot of gold is. While there are plenty of significant things you should be doing to get your audience to engage (i.e., regular postings, original content sharing, strategic paid ads, etc.), there are also small things you can do to get more from your strategy.
This article’ll examine those small things and offer simple tips for creating more magic across your brand’s social media channels.
Helpful Social Media Tips
X (Formerly Twitter)
- Tweet at other brands. To get them to engage, try tweeting at a company about an article they wrote. Be specific and focus on building a friendly rapport. It could lead to helpful cross-promotion or even a webinar or co-branding opportunity.
- Post a weekly poll. Utilize X’s built-in poll feature regularly for a quick and easy way to garner audience engagement. It’s also a great way to have fun on the platform and get to know the people who follow you more. You could even use a poll question to inspire a blog post or inform some aspects of your email marketing strategy.
- Add images and videos to your tweets. Images are key to consistent branding and help your tweet stand out. Instead of pulling images from stock sites, design something eye-catching. Take a stat from a report and create an image to share on X. Adding videos to your X posts is also a great way to engage your audience. Utilize tools to help, like a free video maker. Images and videos allow you to inform your followers about something quickly; just make sure you tag the source for some added exposure.
- Minimize hashtag use. Hashtags are important, but too many are a turn-off. Stick to just one or two to broaden your reach without overdoing it. Look for hashtags that are popular on X and start following some related to your industry. Test a few out to see if any lead to more likes, reshares, or comments.
- Engage in Real-Time Conversations. Respond quickly to mentions, retweets, and trending topics. X is about being in the moment, so timely responses drive engagement.
- Short, Concise Tweets. With character limits in mind, keep your messaging clear and impactful. Add visuals (images, videos, GIFs) to grab attention.
- Host a giveaway. Think of something you can offer — such as a free product or a free 30-minute consultation — and build a campaign around it that requires users to “follow,” “like,” “comment,” and “tag a friend” in exchange for an entry.
- Share user-generated content. Users trust their peers when it comes to reviews. First, encourage your customers to share their experience with your brand in their Instagram stories or posts. Then, share that positive user-generated content on your account, and be sure to tag the original poster for further engagement.
- Add a CTA to every caption. Your Instagram captions are just as important as the pictures you post. Drive action beyond general engagement by always making sure to include a CTA. Examples include: “Visit the link in bio for more information” or “Tag someone who needs this!”.
- Get personal. Instagram is a great place to show off the human side of your brand, so make a point of sharing images of your team, your workplace, and other behind-the-scenes goodies. Show them the faces of the people who build your brand, offer them customer service, and think of creative ways to reach them.
- Do an influencer “take over.” Influencer marketing isn’t just for big brands and enterprise operations. Hand over the reins to your Instagram account to an influencer for 24 hours to tap into their audience and freshen up your feed. If you’re a small business owner, look to your community and see who has a solid following and makes sense for your brand. You can have them do a walk-through of your store and call out some of their favorite products, or they could use your product or service and provide a real-time account of the experience.
- Use Instagram Stories & Reels. Stories and Reels are great for sharing behind-the-scenes content, quick updates, or user-generated content. Reels, in particular, increase organic reach.
- Maintain Aesthetic Consistency. Ensure your posts align with your brand’s visual identity. A consistent color palette and theme help with brand recognition.
- Engage Through Comments. Reply to comments on your posts, comment on your audience’s content, and engage with relevant hashtags. The Instagram algorithm favors active engagement.
- Post Industry Insights. Share thought leadership, articles, and news relevant to your industry. LinkedIn is more about professional growth and industry expertise.
- Utilize LinkedIn Live. Host webinars, Q&A sessions, or company announcements on LinkedIn Live to build engagement and share knowledge in real-time.
- Employee Advocacy. Encourage employees to share company updates or their professional stories. It humanizes the brand and extends its reach to its networks.
- Join Industry-Specific Groups. Participate in relevant LinkedIn groups. Contribute meaningfully to discussions to build your brand as an authority in the industry.
- Start a conversation. Back-and-forth engagement will keep your post in news feeds. Start a dialogue by asking your audience a question and engaging with their responses. Be encouraging and share your question with an image so people will be more inclined to spot it and engage.
- Ask a question that involves tagging other brands. When you loop in other brands, you get their attention and encourage them to share or respond. An example of this would be “What are your favorite SEO tools? Tag them in the comments!”
- Create a series. Instead of one-and-done posts, create a themed series that runs for a set period of time or occurs periodically, such as once a week or once a month. Use a hashtag for the series to help brand it and encourage others to participate in something similar. Series are a great way to fill your social media calendar with something consistent that followers can engage with long-term.
- Repurpose content. Sharing a blog article alone might not lead to much engagement. Get more momentum by creating additional posts around certain article elements, such as key quotes or images. Each piece of content you create can be broken down into ideas for Facebook; you just have to get creative.
- Targeted Ads. Facebook’s ad platform allows for highly targeted campaigns. Use audience segmentation based on demographics, interests, or past behavior to refine your reach.
- Create and promote Events. Facebook Events are great for promoting webinars, sales, or in-person events. Invite your followers, send reminders, and provide updates directly during the event.
- Engage with Facebook Groups. Participate or create niche groups around your brand or industry. Groups are becoming more popular as they offer community-driven discussions.
- Use Videos & Live Streaming. Facebook prioritizes video content in its algorithm, so use videos or go live to connect with your audience in a more personal, interactive way.
TikTok
- Leverage Trends and Challenges. TikTok thrives on trends. Participate in viral challenges or create branded challenges to increase visibility and user-generated content.
- Short, Engaging Content. Keep videos fun, dynamic, and concise (15-30 seconds). Use eye-catching visuals and catchy music to hook viewers in the first few seconds.
- Influencer Marketing. Collaborate with TikTok influencers who align with your brand to create authentic, engaging content that resonates with their followers.
- Use Hashtags & Sounds. TikTok’s algorithm heavily favors hashtags and trending sounds. Use popular ones that fit your brand to increase discoverability.
General Tips
- Define clear goals. Set specific objectives, such as increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, generating leads, or boosting sales. Your content and strategy should align with these goals.
- Know your audience. Understand your target audience’s demographics, preferences, and behaviors. Tailor your content, tone, and posting schedule to what resonates with them.
- Cross-promote. Link up your different social media pages as much as you can, particularly through buttons and targeted cross-promotions.
- Keep it consistent. Your brand identity—including voice and imagery—should remain consistent from channel to channel, even if the content itself varies. Maintaining consistency will help you establish expectations and make it so people can easily identify your social content.
- Don’t try to do too much. Unless you have a team of pros working on your behalf, you’ll be limited in what you can do on social media. Be strategic in choosing your channels, basing decisions on where your audience is rather than trying to be everywhere at once.
- Quality over quantity. Keep your social media presence authentic by focusing on quality posts rather than just posting for the sake of posting. You will not get quality engagement from just checking a box.
- Engage with your audience. Audience engagement is a terrible thing to waste. When you get comments, “like” and respond to them instead of just letting them sit there.
- Diversify your content. Mix up content types such as articles, images, videos, polls, and stories. This keeps your feed fresh and engages different segments of your audience.
- Optimize post timing. Analyze your audience’s activity to determine the best times to post. Posting when your audience is most active increases the likelihood of higher engagement.
- Cross-promote your social media channels. To increase your following across platforms, promote your social media accounts across other channels, such as your website, email newsletters, or even physical materials.
You have more control over your social media channels’ performance than you might think. Make your luck by following smart practices and keeping up with new trends and features. There’s big payoff potential for getting it right, especially regarding your ability to build a large, organic, and involved audience — and what brand doesn’t want that?
Author Bio:
Content Marketing Manager
