We’ve spent the bulk of our time addressing influencers. And while the title of this piece addresses businesses—influencers can grow their following applying the same tactics. So, win-win. After all, the power of social media is available to all and applies to all. There’s just a better way to go about doing things …and we’re here to spell it out for you all, whether you’re a brand/business or influencer. Anyway! Enough about us. Here’s that list:
1) Be Reliable, Not Predictable – Think about if from the audience/viewer’s perspective. You’ve come to enjoy someone’s content because it consistently entertains you (and the success with which it does so hinges upon variety and dependability). Surely you’ve started to notice ideal times to post. Stay on that. This is not like dating; don’t wait a week to call. Train the viewer to expect your post. And whether you’re a brand or business or an influencer, having your own discernable voice is absolutely imperative. Within that voice and aesthetic, learn to find new ways to communicate your message. You’ll find that having diverse outpour of posts will be rewarding in both numbers of following and engagement (and if you’re a brand/business, and doing it right, it’ll be reflective in your sales).
2) Don’t Play Favorites – It’s only natural. You’re going to love one social media app over the others. You’ll find one user experience easier than others, or maybe you’ll find Twitter more rewarding than Instagram, or vice versa. It doesn’t matter. Your audience will as well. The problem is: Not everyone loves the same thing. So—be sure to post original content on ALL social media platforms. Sure, some social media apps might not apply for your business, but if you can have some type of presence and dedicate enough time to generate content for each, do it. It’s a must. This leads us to our next bullet point:
3) Formatted Content Is King – Don’t post on Instagram and send it to Twitter/Facebook. It’s lazy and generates considerably less engagement than native posts on the app. Take the time to resize the image. Put the square on Instagram and a rectangle on Twitter or Facebook etc. It’ll add five minutes to your day, but it’ll be worth it. If you don’t want to trust us on this one, Google native content and face the facts. We’ll end this one by quoting Yoda: Do or do not, there is no try.
4) Play Favorites – Wait, what? Didn’t we say not to a couple bullet points above? Yes. But. (There’s always a but.) What we meant above was simply that you should make it a point to have a presence across all social media platforms (again, whenever possible and wherever relevant). That said, if you find the engagement is better on one platform over the others, think about dedicating more time on that one. Maybe you’ll want to run contests or specials from that site…? Up to you!
5) Be On Brand – This should basically serve as a reminder not to sell out. Don’t employ a million hashtags or post a random meme just because you’re concerned about engagement. Make sure all the posts are aligned with your vision (again, this goes for brands and influencers).
6) It’s Not All About The Likes — This isn’t a redundant topic. Some posts will not yield the same response as others. Influencers will especially know this to be true: Pictures of puppies and photos of the influencer themselves will always get the most likes, but sometimes you’ll need a post to be more informational, or communicate some type of message that isn’t entirely as magnetizing as the aforementioned ones. Doesn’t matter. Do what you have to do to run your business and dress it up as well as you can. It’s just not all about the likes…
7) Social Media Is A Tool – Guys. Gals. Brands. Influencers. Let’s remember one thing. Social Media apps are a tool. They’re not meant to replace your websites, or your marketing efforts, or your advertising campaigns. It’s there to bolster it. Make sure they’re all working hand in hand and you’ll have a good go of things. If you have an in-store activation, be sure to talk about it across all platforms. Maybe stimulate the in-store event with CTA’s (call to actions) uniquely posted on every app you’re employing.
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