Social media is supposed to be the definitive content marketing channel solution, right? But many business owners are discovering it is easier said than done.
Here are a few reasons your social media strategy is not working.
6 Reasons Why Your Social Media Strategy Is Not Working
1. You’re not advertising. Yes, social media is free, whereas traditional advertising can cost lots of money. But even so, you have to realize that social media engagement with organic posting is inherently weak—people are overly bombarded by the items in their feed. With social media ads, you can target specific users and secure a noticeable spot in the feed, yielding more click-through action.
2. You’re hacking too much. Despite the seductive words of internet gurus and content marketing professionals, there is no get-rich-quick solution to social media content marketing. Building a solid presence takes time, patience, and quality material. You can try all the backend hacks you want, but the social media venues have watchdogs to monitor that activity. If they deem it shady, it will reduce the health score of your profile, making it harder for you to market.
3. You’re not interacting. It’s called social media for a reason! Even monolithic mega-giants like Disney and Coca-Cola have social teams that interact with users making comments on their pages and forums. If you’re going to build brand loyalty on a social media platform, you have to interact with your followers by commenting on their posts and pictures, and responding to their comments and likes.
4. You’re not using data. There are plenty of programs out there that can help you mine user data, which can help you better refine your target audience. This type of software can help you understand who interacts with your brand, and what demographics are potentially most interested in what you have to offer. Without leveraging that info, you’re kind of just shooting in the dark.
5. You’re not making good content. From pictures to textual posts, what grabs attention on social media is good content. Learn about what will get eyes to stop and click on a link, and if you can’t figure it out, employ someone who can.
6. You’re doing all the work. You heard it right…the best social media marketing comes about when other people market your product or service. Your brand ambassadors can collectively reach out to a wider audience who is already in love with their posts and appreciates their unique style. Moreover, when someone else recommends your product or service, it gives it a seal of approval you just can’t fake on your own.
Now that we covered the six reasons why your social accounts may be floundering, let’s examine ten things you can do about it.
10 Ways to Make Social Media Posts That Get Engagement
Social Media is a great tool for content marketing, but there are some rules to the game. Check out these 10 suggestions for effective posting that gets engagement.
1. Use great visuals. The visual content is what will stop people from scrolling through the endless parade of their feed and checking out your post. If you don’t have an image directly related to your business, use some stock imagery from a free site like Pixabay or Unsplash.
2. Write good copy. While the picture gets them to stop, the words get them to click. Use good grammar, flawless spelling, and appropriate punctuation with adequate spacing.
3. Don’t be self-centered. Don’t promote your business and products directly every time. Post about topics in your industry, or repost items from other people to build your credibility and engagement with a wider audience.
4. Use hashtags. For the majority of social media sites, your post might as well be invisible if you’re not using hashtags. Hashtags tell people what category your post falls into, and draws in more engagement from people checking out what’s new in that topic.
5. Be brief. Don’t make your posts too long, because readers will get weary and move on. Use synonyms for longer words and keep your sentences short. Remember that your audience is very distracted.
6. Post at key times. This varies by social media type, but your post will get in front of a large audience. You can do a quick Google search to see what days and times are best for the social media platforms you’re using.
7. Involve the readers. Put engaging questions into your post that will elicit discussion and response. If people are building on the thread below your words, you know your post has been a success.
8. Be persistent. In today’s socially connected world, it’s not overkill to post, post, and post again. People may need to see something at least a dozen times before even clicking on it, so don’t be afraid to keep trying, and don’t give up.
9. Consider the pros and cons of auto-posting. You may think that auto-posting saves you time and energy, but an organic effort fueled by the inspiration of the moment might yield better results.
10. Remember the audience. Different social media platforms are geared towards different users, so while you might be fine throwing up pictures of your weekend on Instagram, that tactic could backfire on LinkedIn.
