How Do I Grow My Following?

This is something I get asked regularly. Your social media pages won't grow unless you are actively updating your pages with engaging content on a regular basis, are engaging with other pages by commenting, liking or sharing and having a content plan so your pages look fresh, relevant and aesthetically pleasing

Many believe that by just posting they are updating their community, when in fact by uploading content that isn’t quite on brand could have a negative impact. First things first, you need to take time to plan your social media calendar in advance, or you could end up struggling or rushing to find content to share. Sharing quality content across your social channels is key to engage your audience and attract new followers.

Figure out what content appeals to your audience

Before you start searching for interesting news snippets, images, memes or in fact you are creating your content to share on your socials, you need to figure out what your audience actually likes. A fantastic way to do that is to look at past social media posts to see which were most successful by engagement and impressions. Use Twitter Analytics or Facebook Insights to see how successful each post has been and you can gauge from there which works and what doesn’t. If you build on this then you should have a high engagement rate for future posts, if you don’t then it’s time to shake things up.

How often?

Decide on how often you need to post to each social network and profile. Posting once per week isn’t really going to cut it. It has to be consistent. Always keep your audience in mind and ensure you’re not bombarding them with posts that are irrelevant or inappropriate.

Did you know you should be posting on Facebook 3-10 times per week, Twitter at least 5 times a day and LinkedIn 2-5 times per week? Make sure it’s the right content and post at a time when your audience is online. Don’t feel you have to be on social platforms either. Less is more, or so they say! Go where your audience is and don’t try and flog a dead horse. If you’re in retail, then posting on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest will be more beneficial for you. If you’re in law then Twitter or Linkedin might be best for you. Social media is like a teenager – it’s still young and it’s still learning so it’s all about trial and error.

Create a content calendar

Ah yes, the content calendar! When I mention this to client, panic usual sets in. What on earth is that? A content calendar is basically a calendar of the month ahead with all your planned content on which you plan to share during that time. It’s as simple as that! Is it product launches, awareness days, information posts, news within the business you wish to promote and share? Whatever it is, keep it consistent, interesting and relevant and stick to it. If you’re selling a product or promoting a service, try not to be too sales heavy. Socials aren’t for sales!

After each month, measure how affective the posts have been and analyse to see which has performed the best and perhaps increase that type of post in your next month. Once you have an idea of what kind of content your audience engages with and how often you need to post, it’s time to find links and content to share. Fill in your calendar with links to relevant content and your own posts. These posts will ensure you’re providing your audience with smart, useful content and give them a reason to follow you, engage with you and ultimately buy from you. If you require any further advice, why not contact me for a social media one to one?