There are over 3.48 billion social media users worldwide. If you want to reach out to this massive audience, you need to have an effective social media marketing strategy in place.
That's because simply creating a social media account for your business isn't enough. You can't expect much from social media when you randomly post updates. Without a proper strategy, it is hard to generate any significant results for your business.
However, creating an effective social media strategy is easier said than done. To help you, we've put together a list of some proven ways that can help you capitalize on the power of social media.
1. Create shareable content.
When you post content that offers value or inspires people, there are higher chances that your followers will share it. Shareable content helps you organically attract more followers.
These are some popular types of content that you can share on social media:
High-quality articles, such as how-to guides and actionable tips
Inspirational posts
Funny memes
Product reviews
Videos
Screenshots
Client testimonials
Expert interviews
Case studies
Behind-the-scenes stories
2. Host contests.
Hosting contests is one of the most effective ways to boost user engagement on social media. It can also help you attract new audiences.
The secret here is to offer something that your audience will find valuable so they will engage with your brand.
You should keep in mind that offering random prizes can help you generate a lot of leads, but they might not be "quality leads." Users will share their information with you only to qualify for the prize.
You need to ensure that your contest attracts a crowd that is likely to be interested in your brand and products. If you can target the interests of your ideal customers, hosting contests can help you get good business leads.
And the best part about competitions and giveaways is that they are always fun. People love them.
Though expecting an immediate sale is a bit too much, you can see your efforts reap good results over a period of time. Want to know how?
When a user enters a competition, they are already hoping to win. They often start thinking that they do want to get that "two-day hotel stay" you’re offering them. With this desire, they may even consider booking it anyway, even if they don’t win.
You can also encourage conversions by offering participants a nice, limited-time discount coupon when you finally announce the winner.
3. Run paid ads.
You should always track the performance of each of your social media posts and engagement activities. This will help you identify your top-performing content. You can boost the reach of these posts using paid ads.
This tactic can help you generate more engagement, drive more traffic to your website, and increase brand awareness.
To get the most out of your paid social ad campaigns, you should do the following:
Use social proof.
Include compelling calls to action (CTAs).
Use high-quality, attractive images.
Consider consumer psychology.
Choose colors, themes and messaging wisely.
Run targeted campaigns to meet the demands of specific consumer groups.
A/B test multiple versions of your social ad.
4. Use live videos.
You can also host live video sessions to engage with your followers in real time. You can answer their questions or share a few behind-the-scenes stories or other special moments with them.
You can also take this opportunity to tell them about the milestones you’ve achieved and celebrate your success. During the live video, you can thank your followers for all of their love and support.
Here are some great topic ideas for your live videos:
Introduction of a new product and its features
Tutorials to help your followers learn something new
Livestream from a big event
Q&A sessions with your audience
Presentation to show off your new office, team members or other exciting stuff
Behind-the-scenes stories
5. Leverage influencers.
There is perhaps no better way to boost your brand's reach and engagement other than partnering with the top influencers in your niche.
Consumers prefer to trust content created by influencers more than traditional ads. They feel that influencers are honest about their opinions and they take the time to connect and engage with their followers.
People not only trust but also follow the recommendations of their favorite social media influencers. That’s why the right influencer collaborations can help you drive more sales and revenue for your business.
However, you need to ensure that the influencers you choose to work with are a good fit for your campaign and business goals. Luckily, now we have platforms such as iFluenz to help brands and marketers find the most relevant influencers in their niches.
You can use these platforms to discover and connect with the right influencers to boost the ROI of your brand’s social media campaigns. It’s also possible to measure the influence of the influencers on Instagram using this tool.
6. Leverage compelling CTAs.
Strong and well-placed CTAs can help you motivate your potential customers to make the next move through your sales funnel. You should keep your followers engaged by prompting them to "learn more" or "shop now."
You can also compel them to take action quickly using a limited-time discount offer or promoting a flash sale that will only last for a few hours.
It is important to ensure that your social media posts and ads end with CTAs that are relevant to the needs and interests of your audience. At the end of the day, people only care about what you can offer them.
You should stay true to your followers. It’s not ethical to use "learn more" as a CTA when what you want is to drive an actual sale. In such cases, it is best to ask users to "buy it now."
These are some of the most popular CTAs that brands use:
Like
Subscribe
Donate
Register
Buy now
Sign up
Learn more
If you want to add a sense of urgency to compel users to take quick actions, you can use CTAs such as these:
For a limited time only
Offer expires on Feb. 5
Buy now and claim your free gift
7. Schedule your social media posts.
There is a best time to post for every social media platform and for different niches.
Scheduling your posts in advance can help you ensure that your content reaches your audience right when they’re active on these platforms. This will help you increase your content’s reach and engagement rate.
In fact, it can also help you post consistently and post over the weekends too.
8. Watch your competitors.
You should track the social media activities of your competitors and analyze which types of content are helping them drive the best results.
You can utilize their top-performing strategies to drive the best results for your brand. However, remember that you should not copy them. You should customize your social media strategies and content to cater to the specific needs of your audience.
Social media is rife with potential.
If you have not tapped into the potential of these social media marketing techniques, now is the perfect time to try them out. In 2020, you should plan your social media strategy now to stay ahead of your competition.
You should look for ways that can help you generate more high-quality leads for your business. You can track and analyze what your top competitors are doing. You can also connect with niche influencers to get more traction.
Are you ready to rock the social media world in 2020?