9 Crucial Social Hacks For 2021
Business owners of all sizes and industries see the benefit of using social media platforms as a tool to reach out to their customers. Social media platforms are more than a means of keeping in contact with friends and family, but an opportunity to promote your business.
Almost 75% of American adults use social media—making it a critical part of any business strategy. Social media is one of the best ways to connect with people who already love what you do. It is also vital for reaching those who have not heard of your business yet.
As a business owner, it is important to have a presence on all popular social media platforms as a means of promoting your business. The Jan 2020 Digital Global Report by DataReportal revealed that 75% of internet users worldwide bought something online in the previous month, and social media is a strong driver of that behavior.
The great thing about social media is that it does not have to be expensive or difficult to get going, but it needs to go beyond having a large following or making a few posts from time to time.
Follow these social media tips you can reach new customers, build awareness of your brand and drive new business and sales.
1. Setting Goals: Be specific about what you want to achieve
Before you set goals, ask yourself the following questions:
● What is my goal for creating social media content?
● Who is my audience?
● How do I reach them?
Your familiarity with social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn will have a bearing on your responses to these questions but it is imperative to be ‘SMART’ with your goals.
● Specific: set real numbers, focus on creating leads targeting a specific audience.
● Measurable: make sure your goal is trackable, e.g. have a target for the new followers you want to reach.
● Attainable: make sure your goals are achievable, what or who can help you achieve your goals? Leverage your team to make sure you meet your goals.
● Realistic: Don’t underestimate the hurdles you may face. Be realistic and focus on what you can achieve with your resources. For example, you can set a realistic goal of gaining 100, 200 or more new followers.
● Timely: Avoid vague timelines and set a specific time frame to achieve your goals. Give yourself a deadline to build those extra 200 followers.
2. Engage with your audience and get to know their needs
Show them your human side, and engage with them often. Show interest in their posts and comments, and be ready to respond. Also, reply to your audience when they show interest in your posts to build that relationship. This way you can be more in tune with their needs, and figure out what’s most important to them, not what’s most important to your brand. Focus on your audience and position yourself as a trustworthy, engaging expert to follow. Lastly, engage with other influencers by commenting and liking their content.
3. Link your social media accounts with your websites
To help you generate more leads, add a link to your website when posting on any or all of the social media platforms. Also, add social media icons to your website so visitors can follow all your social media pages.
4. Share your social media accounts
Promote your presence with your network and make sure they are aware that you have a social media presence. Focus on popular social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn and your audience can share your content. Share your social accounts everywhere. Make sure your social media links are listed on your home page and in your emails.
5. Use keywords and hashtags on your social media accounts
Focus on using keywords that mean something in your industry, and words that are commonly searched on Google. Use popular and trending hashtags related to your business on social media platforms to attract more users to your social media platforms. This way you will grow your audience and let others find your content.
6. Build relationships with your audience using games and gifts
When you create engaging content on social media platforms, add questions and games to grab your readers’ attention, likes and followers. Consider giving away e-books, discounts for products and trials to entice your audience to become regular followers.
7. Be consistent with the pace of your posting
The more captivating and engaging your content is, the more your audience will read it and better still share with their followers. Ideally, you want to post at consistent intervals, daily, weekly or monthly, to give your audience something to look forward to. Use automation tools to schedule your posts and make your postings appear regularly and reinforce that frequency with your readers.
8. Use "FAQs" on your social media platforms
Frequently asked questions can help your audience, clients or customers get answers to their questions. You can use post responses to complaints or problems you have solved in the past or use questions likely to be asked by your audience. Well thought out FAQs will improve your customers’ experience and help them make better purchasing decisions.
9. Have a plan & stick with it
There's no single switch to flip to leverage the power of social media. It takes time, and requires patience, determination and focused consistency on your goals. Take one step at a time, but remain true to your goals whether it be getting more followers or generating new leads. Stick with your plan, refine, adjust, but keep at it and you will see the benefit of more followers, potential leads and customers who will keep coming back to you for more business.