3.5 Billion! That’s a big number.  It’s nearly half of the world’s population.  It’s also the number of social media users worldwide. With that many people engaging online, businesses can’t afford to miss the mark when it comes to their social media.

Navigating social media can seem like a mystery if you’re new to the industry.  Even if you use social media personally, a business approach takes a little extra TLC.  But don’t sweat it – our strategies for Facebook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram will boost your social reputation in no time!

Know the Strategy

After decades of social media existence, professionals have nailed down what works and what doesn’t.  In today’s visual culture, videos and images snag the attention of potential customers.  Once they’re captivated, there are three things you need to accomplish:

1. Get them to go straight to your website or store
2. Get them to like and follow
3. Get them to share your content

Once people engage with your posts (liking and sharing), you’ll get some new eyes on your page. This is where it gets important to consider the type of content to share.

Know the Formula

There’s a general formula when it comes to social media posting.  80% of your content should be interesting, informative content that appeals to the general population.  This could be as simple as a “Happy 4^th of July” post or a funny meme related to the day’s weather.  It’s about getting viewers to stop in their scroll, like, and share your post.  This drives traffic to your page, where people who didn’t even know they needed you, will suddenly find and follow your business.

On the other hand, 20% of your content should be specific to your business or industry.  This includes informative pictures and videos about your product or services.  This balance limits the potential for a bland, boring social media reputation, which is the number one cause of disengaged followers.

Know Where to Post

Another important consideration is WHERE to post.  Twitter and Facebook thrive on images, videos, and links.  Instagram, however, cannot have links in the posts, so the aim is mostly brand recognition on that platform.  LinkedIn is the hot spot for professionals, and that platform craves content like articles and current events in your industry.  No matter the type of post, each of these platforms can be accessed through the Blue Zone dashboard using one login.  It’s never been easier to maintain a consistent presence on every platform!

Bland, lengthy content is never a winner, but some sites require specific info to help you be found online. For example, people searching for your specific product or service will usually find you first on Google My Business.  That’s where you want to feature image and content-heavy product and service posts.  Details such as hours of operation and address are imperative here too.

Know When to Post

The timing of your posts is one of the most overlooked aspects of social media marketing.  You can easily use national holidays to your advantage.  Build community with your followers by featuring posts about things that everyone has in common, like a long Labor Day weekend or National Donut Day!

As you might expect, engagement is heaviest during the weekdays, between working hours of 8 am – 2 pm. Sundays tend to be the least busy as people disconnect to spend time with family and regroup for the week ahead.  It’s important to consider your audience in this regard.

Increase Followers

It’s not enough to have a ton of visually pleasing content; people need to find meaning in the brands they follow.  Growing your social media is easy if you keep the following things in mind:

·  Produce valuable, consistent content

·  Engage your followers (Many customers who have issues with a business are turning to social media for resolution, rather than waiting for a phone call or email)

·  Use automation (manage all social media accounts from one place for consistency and efficiency.  See the BZ Dashboard here)

·  Use hashtags (research them before using them!)

·  Run competitions/giveaways

·  Tag other people and pages

·  Use analytics (watch engagement with real-time stats. See the BZ dashboard here)

·  Watch your competition

Measure & Maintain Success

Now that you know the how’s and why’s of social media posting, you have to keep the momentum.  Create a game plan that will allow you to keep your social media game steady. If nothing else, remain consistent in the following tasks:

·  Posting (scheduling, optimizing, and sharing original content)

·  Watching (monitoring comments and likes)

·  Communicating (responding to comments engaging your customer base)

·  Increasing followers (continually sharing your page and keeping that 80/20 content balance)

Still, stumped for content?  Check out what Blue Zone Marketing can do for you.

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