It’s a brand new year and we’ve got a hunch that one of your business goals is to grow your social media presence in 2024. Here are our top 10 tips for growing on social:
Our 10 Top Tips For Growing On Social in 2024
1. Get to know your audience
We’ve said this a million times, but it’s worth repeating…It’s critical for you to understand who your audience is. What are their demographics—their age range, gender, location, level of schooling, marital status, etc.? And what are their psychographics—their behaviors, interests, and beliefs? The combination of these two areas will help you create a persona (or several) that represent your ‘ideal’ client or customer. This can be helpful when creating new offerings or launching a new marketing campaign. Ask yourself, “Would this resonate with our persona? Why or why not?” The better you understand your target audience on a holistic level, the better your marketing efforts will be.
Posting consistent content (either daily or several times per week depending on the social media platform) helps you stay visible to your audience and boosts your chances of landing on the Explore page. Laying out your content 2-4 weeks in advance will help you to strategically schedule your posts rather than scramble at the last minute. Use a social media management app like Planoly to plan your content in advance and schedule posts at consistent intervals (i.e. every Tuesday at 7pm).
3. Engage with your followers
Social media is social. It’s not a one-way street. Brands also need to engage with their followers for the system to work at its top potential. Respond quickly and professionally to comments, questions, direct messages, and tags. And here’s a little reminder on how to deal with negative comments on social media.
4. Use hashtags
Yes, hashtags are still relevant and helpful as you grow your social media presence. Use relevant hashtags to build a community, find and promote UGC, be part of a trend (like #ThrowbackThursday), create sponsored partnerships, promote advocacy, join (or start) a larger conversation, or disclose an #ad. Stick to 3-5 hashtags in your caption or go for more in your first post comment (just to keep the caption clean).
5. Collaborate with other accounts
Social media is a breeding ground for creative collaboration. Reach out to like-minded creators, brands, and influencers to cross-promote and collaborate on marketing campaigns and projects. Partnerships and user-generated content will help extend your brand awareness and reach.
6. Optimize timing
Take a look at your social media analytics to figure out the best time to post content. Schedule your posts in a social media management program.
7. Post quality visuals
High-quality images and videos are more likely to capture a viewer’s attention. Invest time and energy in creating top tier visuals either with the latest smartphone or a professional camera.
8. Promote across platforms
You shouldn’t just be on one social media platform. Check out our blog to find out which platforms would work best for you. Linking your website, storefront, and other social media accounts is a great way to build your following across your digital landscape.
9. Host contests
Contests and giveaways are an exciting way to get people to engage with your brand. Make sure participation includes something that promotes your brand (like having participants tag 3 friends, share a post to their story, or create their own UGC).
10. Be authentic
Authenticity is one of the top qualities that Gen Z looks for in their shopping experience. Stay true to your brand mission and identity by cultivating real online connections, caring about good customer service, and listening to your audience.
Social media growth takes time and patience. It typically doesn’t just happen overnight. Stay attuned to your social media analytics to make note of what works best for your brand’s visibility and follower growth. Also, remember that follower count isn’t necessarily the most important metric if it doesn’t equate to sales. The more engaged your followers are (and you are with them), the more likely they’ll transition to customers, loyalists, and then to advocates of their own.
At Media À La Carte, one of our specialties is the Social Media Audit, where we analyze your social media presence in comparison to competitors/alike brands and offer tangible advice to improve your social presence. Ready for your own Social Media Audit? Reach out to us now and get one step closer to your goal to grow on social in 2024.
