How to Build a Following on Social Media for Your Small Business
There was a time when social media was just a toy used exclusively by young people. These days, it’s much more serious business. Any small business owner who can’t establish a strong social media presence is likely to get left in the dust by their competitors. Building an online following can help you engage with your customers better and improve your business outcomes. Here are a few steps you can take to get more social media followers and reach more potential customers:
Post Every Day
The more frequently you post, the more likely you are to get some eyeballs on your content. While there is such a thing as posting too much, your followers want to hear from you regularly. One post per day is a good start. But depending on the platform you’re using, you may want to post more frequently. For example, 1–2 posts per day is sufficient for Facebook and Instagram. But you may want to post as many as 5–10 times a day on Twitter. Not only will posting every day keep your followers happy, it will also make social media algorithms more likely to suggest your content to people who don’t follow you, but who might be interested in your business.
Follow Other Social Media Accounts
When it comes to social media management, there’s nothing wrong with a little quid-pro-quo. When you follow your vendors, businesses in your area, and other popular accounts, they may choose to follow you back, making it more likely that social media apps will suggest you to their followers. Also, when you engage with other accounts (and they engage with your content), it will often bump your posts, giving them a wider reach without costing you a penny.
Engage with Followers and Answer Their Questions
Many social media algorithms are focused on engagement. When your followers give you a like, share your post, or leave a comment, it improves your reach organically. You can foster those engagements by being available to respond to comments and answer questions. Even negative comments will give your posts a bump and they give you an opportunity to show the commenter that you’re listening to their concerns and are willing to make changes if necessary.
Use Video Content
The days of text-only posts are over. If you want social media algorithms to prioritize your content, it helps to create videos. They don’t necessarily have to be long. We suggest you look at the types of videos that social media users interact with the most. These include explainer videos, videos of you making or building something, and product reviews. If you don’t have a big marketing budget, you can try making videos on your own or you can work with a production company to make slick, professional content.
Building a following on social media can be tricky, and there’s no magic wand you can wave to increase your number of followers. It takes a consistent effort. Even if it doesn’t pay off immediately, following the steps listed above is sure to improve your standing on all the biggest social media platforms and can lead to increased business for you. Of course, digital marketing is a part of that formula, so if you need help shoring up your online presence, TIC can help. Get in touch with us for services like inbound digital marketing, WordPress web development, and design. Call TIC Digital Marketing today at (858) 280–3792, send an email to info@tickdigitalmarketing.com, or fill out the online form on our contact page.
