Social media has changed how we live as a society. It is now possible to connect with people from any corner of the globe in real-time. According to the Pew Research Center, seven in ten Americans are on social media. Apart from connecting with friends, social media can be a valuable business tool. It is a free and fast way to reach customers from everywhere. However, you need to have an adequate number of followers to leverage the power of social media. Keep reading to learn these guaranteed five ways to grow your social media following.
Choose the Right Platform
It is normal to have two or three active social media platforms. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram are just some of the common ones. New platforms seem to be cropping up every other day. However, if you want to grow your following, you will need to focus all your attention on a primary account. So, how do you choose? Well, two factors will help you make this choice. One is the type of content you plan to share. The other is your target audience. For instance, if you think of creating video tutorials, then YouTube is the place to be. Likewise, if most of your content will be photos, then Instagram may be the right platform for you. Once you get this part right, the rest will follow.
Be Consistent with Your Brand
Consistency is vital for both business and personal social media pages. Posting random content is a sure way to lose followers. For instance, if your page is about fashion and then suddenly changes to cars, your current followers will have no reason to keep following you. But consistency goes beyond just your posts; everything from your profile image to the cover photo should tell the same story. Another aspect of consistency is how often you post. Have a fixed sharing schedule. Typically, posts get the most clicks between 12 pm to 1 pm and 5 to 6 pm on weekdays. To make sure you don’t miss out, you can schedule a post in advance. Successful social media growth strategist utilize additional tools, like a free video content planner.
Use Paid Advertisements
Organic views are easier to get in the beginning. After a while, your page or channel reaches a growth plateau. Unless you are famous, you likely won’t achieve social media elite status without sponsoring your post once in a while. You can advertise your post on any major platforms, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If you want to get more eyes on your content, simply boosting the post can get you there. However, if you want to grow your audience, you will need to tweak the setting so that the post is only seen by the people you are targeting. Instagram and Facebook are the best platforms for this.
Engage Your Audience
Once you have the followers, you will need to keep them coming back. It is not enough to post regularly. You need engaging content that the audience can enjoy. A typical engagement includes comments, likes, shares, and retweets. The best way to keep the conversation going is to get actively involved. Start by responding to questions and reacting to comments. If a question is asked that you can’t answer, you can tag an industry leader who may have the answers. This is a great way to gain traction. More on that later. Usually, the quality of the post determines engagement levels. Posts that elicit debate or ask questions perform better.
Connect with Industry Leaders
Industry leaders are companies and influencers that your audience is following. A retweet or comment from the right industry leader can take your page to the next level. Every industry has personalities that people respect, adore, and sometimes even worship. If you are any good in your chosen niche, you will know who these are. You can also retweet the content that you feel your audience will respond to. Another tactic is to tag them in a comment that you feel they be interested in answering. All these open the door for you to win over some of their followers and grow your account.
Final Word
The number of followers determines your reach. However, growing your account can be challenging. The good news is that growth won’t be a problem if you get the basics right. We hope you are excited to try out these five tips.