Once upon a time, you probably used Facebook to check if your crush at school was “single” or “in a relationship,” and left it at that. Your parents weren’t on it; chances are they hadn’t even heard of it. YouTube was for embarrassing skateboarding videos. Twitter was on the fringes and Snapchat was years away.
Now though, YouTube reaches more 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the United States. Snapchat is nearly ubiquitous among people under thirty, and Facebook boasts two-billion users along with articles about everything from news and politics, pieces about what’s the best type of Halloween candy to buy, to how an office design firm can maximize your space for productivity.
The world of social media has changed a lot in ten years, and it’s only going to keep evolving. For your business to succeed in marketing your brand across social media platforms, you’ve got to stay focused and ahead of the curve. That means growing your brand in a meaningful and engaging way. Here are a few tips to that end:
1. Precision is key
Having the greatest social media campaign of all time won’t be effective if it doesn’t reach the right people. Facebook and Twitter are so densely populated that it’s easy for your message to get lost in the shuffle. Don’t let that happen. Identify your target demographic and stick to it.
2. Know your space
To go along with point one, make sure not to waste your time on social media platforms you don’t need. If you need to reach people on Facebook, don’t market on Twitter. It sounds simple, but knowing where you need to market yourself can save you months of chasing down dead ends.
3. Be honest
People can tell if you’re being disingenuous whether it’s in “real life” or online. So it’s important to use real photos and examples in your posts. Exaggerating or downright lying will only land you in trouble, no matter how tempting the short-term gains might be.
4. Engage your audience
The more you write, the more you post, and the more content you create, the likelier you are to get the responses you’re looking for. You can’t expect to post a video or a link once a month and get great feedback right away. But on the flipside, good content can make a difference–especially videos. According to Forbes, social videos have more engagement than any other content format. And making a connection with your target audience is more than half the battle; if you can manage that, you’re well on your way to creating a successful social media strategy.
