The Ultimate Guide to Increase Your Social Media Following
Growing your Social Media account doesn’t have to be a daunting task… if it is done correctly. In fact, it’s actually quiet easy with these steps. But before we dive in, I want to remind you that the number of followers you have is insignificant. Sure, having a million engaged followers is great, but the key word there is engaged and not a million.
Always remember, 500 engaged followers is better than 5,000 unengaged followers. If your followers aren’t engaged, they aren’t invested in your brand and chances of them purchasing or investing in you is slim to none.
But no need to be discouraged, I will give you the tools to build an engaged audience that will benefit you in the long run.
The key here is to build a solid engaged Social Media Following. Here’s how I did it:
Get Specific
There is a common misconception that the more people you target, the better chance you have of hitting someone who is willing to invest in your brand. – this is not true and one of the biggest mistakes companies make on Social Media. You cannot talk to everyone… and you shouldn’t.
The more you know about the specific person you are talking to, the more opportunity you have to learn everything about them: what means the most to them, what are they interested in, what do they dislike, etc. The more you know about them, the more chances you have of serving information to them that they want to read and continuing coming back to. You will build your Social Media following when your audience knows exactly what you offer and who you are talking to.
My (free) Branding Blueprint helps you organize your ‘voice’ and who you are talking to.
Find your voice
Find out who you are. Whether you’re hilarious, creative, seriously romantic, have the driest humor ever or are a female video-gamer who specializes in Starbucks secret menu recipes – BE THAT.
When your personality plays throughout your posts and you’re not trying to be something you are not (believe me, we can all tell) you attract people who want to invest in YOU. Posing on Social Media is less of a task and you don’t burn yourself out trying to keep up a persona that isn’t you.
A lot of people think building their social media following is a lost cause because there are other brands with similar products / services that have already built their audience, but this is not true. As long as you are yourself online, you are already different than your competitor. Be yourself and your audience will find you.
Be Consistent
When you have a specific target, your messaging should be consistent on all platforms. If I were to go to your Instagram and then to your Facebook page, I should see the same messaging – immediately. In order to build your Social Media following and keep them engaged, you need to consistently deliver.
Post quality Photos & Videos
If you consider yourself a professional, you need to have professional photos. If you own a product or service, you’ll need professional pictures of those as well. I offer professional photography as part of my packages, but if you’re not in the Chicago-land area invest in a proper photo shoot. They say a picture is worth a thousands words, great photography is worth a million more.
Listen & Interact
What are people in your niche asking? Are they commenting, liking and sharing your posts? Interact with the people who are showing interest in your brand! Ask questions, take polls, comment on their photos, follow some, be human.
We often think that the best sales-person is the one who can talk to people, when in reality the best sales-person is the one who knows how to listen.
Outsource
Let’s face it, Social Media Marketing is a full-time job. Don’t be afraid to hire someone to manage it for you. All of my packages are available here – customizing options are also available. It’s important to stick with what you’re good at, if business management or sales is more of your strong-suit, stick with that. It is important to remember that Social Media is an investment and a very important one.
