Social media marketing is a numbers game, right?
You know the drill. The more followers you get, the more conversions you’ll make, and the more likes, shares, retweets or ‘whatever-they-are’s, the more sales you’ll make… Sound familiar?
Well, actually, that's not the whole story.
Being a social media wizard isn't as simple as mixing up a magic potion, taking a swallow, and waiting for followers to buy from you.
So what's the real secret to social media engagement? The first step in converting a ‘like’ to a sale is finding the right audience on social media. That means you need to…
- Know who you’re selling to,
- Find that ideal follower, and
- Give them content they want to engage with.
Great. You’ve piqued their interest. They may have even interact with you immediately by following you, joining your group, or re-tweeting your tweet. The next (and critical) step is to build a relationship with them.
This is where engagement comes into play.
Now's the time to start offering your followers tidbits of information that can help them, get them thinking, or just make them smile for a moment. It's like you're the keynote speaker at an event who everyone wants to chat with. Once you become that go-to person they can rely on for a consistent, positive experience, they'll start turning to you for interaction and eventually become a regular customer.
Remember, the goal of social media engagement isn't to sell, it's to build a relationship that ultimately leads to sales.
The content you create and post on your social media should be designed with engagement in mind. You don't want to miss any opportunity to deepen relationships, so think strategically about everything you produce and how your target audience will receive it.
In this post, I'll explore the 6 types of content that can work like magic to increase engagement and interaction on social media sites.
6 Types of Content to Boost Social Media Engagement
1. Easy Visual Content
Things like infographics, quote images, and memes are excellent (and easy) places to start. Visuals are like a tasty snack for thoughts, information, and ideas that will speak directly to your audience.
Make sure that each visual you create has a hint of who you are included within it so that your message and voice aren't lost. People should be able to recognize that a specific image came from you. At the minimum, add your logo/url and maybe a tagline. Take it to the next level by adding your ‘secret ingredient', like a picture of your dog in every post or a cartoon version of you.
2. Video Content
Make live or recorded video content available to followers who want to learn a little more about a topic or who are interested in learning more about you.
Think of it like inviting someone to sit down with you for a virtual coffee or chat. If you’re asking them to take out a few minutes from their day, make sure you’re giving them real value, and they’ll come back for more. And value doesn't have to mean a 15-minute tutorial. It could be a quick 1-minute tip they can use right away. In fact, those shorter videos do better and are shared more frequently on social media.
3. Contests and User-Generated Content
Imagine giving your audience the chance to take center stage and show off their talent. That's what user-generated content (UGC) is all about.
Asking your social media audience to submit something of their own creation that doesn’t require too much effort, such as an image or caption, is a great way to encourage interaction and repeat visits. Especially if there's a prize involved!
Encourage your followers to create and share content related to your brand or business, be it photos, videos, testimonials, or stories. Showcase UGC on your social media platforms to create a sense of community and give a glimpse into the experiences of real people who vibe with your brand.
4. Direct Contact
If a follower reaches out to you through a direct message or a comment, it’s critical that you respond as quickly as possible.
Be friendly, informative, and make them feel like your focus is on their success. Keep track of these personal interactions and follow up where it makes sense. And if you can lead the person over to some helpful information that requires an email address, all the better.
5. Informative Content
Share posts or articles that offer a bit more information, like ‘Top Tips' or ‘How-To' posts. These are great for showing that you're a reliable source of information.
Again, make sure you know exactly who you’re talking to and create posts that address your audience's key needs. These don't have to be original posts either. Try repurposing an article and pasting it in as a status update somewhere like Facebook or as a LinkedIn Post. Make the most of what you already have.
6. Questions
A quick and effective method of touching base with your followers is to ask questions. This is the ultimate way to strike up a conversation with them.
Consider topics relevant to your niche and ask your audience's thoughts on them. This is also an easy way to do a little research for your own products and services
Download the FREE Content Ideas Generator!
Want help with ideas for engaging content on your specialty topics?
Bonus Tips for Boosting Social Media Engagement
Now, let's dive into some bonus tips to make your social media game even stronger!
Tailor Your Content to the Platform
You wouldn't wear a tuxedo to a beach party, right? Similarly, tailor your content to suit the unique features and strengths of each social media platform. Use Instagram to share eye-catching images and behind-the-scenes peeks. Tap Twitter for quick updates, news, and joining in on trendy conversations. Master the best practices and nuances for each platform to make your social media engagement sizzle.
Leverage Trends and Hashtags
Staying current with relevant hashtags and trending topics in your niche is like catching the perfect wave at the beach. Participate in these conversations by using popular hashtags and sharing your thoughts or expertise on the subject matter. This will boost visibility and engagement with your content, positioning you as someone who's always on the cutting edge in your market.
Stay on Track with a Social Media Calendar
Plotting your social media journey with a content calendar is like planning an epic road trip. Sure, you might add in a little space for side adventures, but you need to stick to the plan if you want to reach your destination.
A content calendar helps you maintain a consistent posting schedule and diversify your content mix for maximum engagement. Balance promotional content with valuable and engaging material to keep your audience hooked and excited for the next stop on the journey.
How to Avoid Writer's Block
It’s not always easy to come up with ideas for creating content that consistently encourages engagement. A good method of generating ideas and avoiding the dreaded blank page is to keep an idea file, either on paper or in a digital notebook like Evernote.
Whenever an idea for content springs to mind, jot it down or clip it to your notebook. You can then start to think about related items that branch from each idea. When you have a block of time, sit down with your ideas and create a mind map to brainstorm more social media content ideas for the future.
Check if your content is working
Once you've developed your approach to creating social media content that speaks to your audience and you've started engaging more, you'll need to keep an eye on progress. Is your content actually having the engagement impact you want?
Figure out the metrics you want to track. Are you looking for shares? Is your goal to drive people from Facebook to your site? Identify your key measures and then watch how your content performs. You might find that certain types of content work better than others for your goals.
So keep the focus on what works and ditch what doesn't, even if you personally think it's great!
Need some help generating social media content ideas?
We’ve put together a Social Media Content Idea Generator that helps you come up with ideas for engaging content on your specialty topics. Use this spreadsheet to brainstorm different types of content you can create or share, and which your followers will want to see, share, and interact with.
Ready to go deeper and help your clients too?
Build Your Audience Using Social Media
Teach Yourself. Then teach your audience.
When you purchase a license to any of our ready-to-go course kits, you get the rights to edit it any way you want (or leave as-is) and add your own name and branding.
Then use your new course to:
- Attract new clients and customers (such as with a free training, webinar, or eCourse)
- Add a new stream of income (such as with a paid course or workshop)
- Keep your current customers successful and coming back for more (such as with bonus webinars, videos, and other learning resources).
Enjoy!
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