Written By: Andy Ogg, Editor and Marketing Director – Travel Professional NEWS
When it comes to social media, it’s no secret that you should be using this powerful platform to grow and build your brand and business. However, sometimes it’s easy to get distracted from this goal. Before you know it, an hour has gone by, and you’ve lost your train of thought or even your focus to post. That is why it’s essential that you create achievable objectives to help you make your time online worthwhile.
In this article, we’ll share with you 10 ideas to help you kick start a more efficient time frame spent on social media. Read our list below:
Connect with People in the Industry
The best part of social media is that you can form and build instant relationships with anyone in the world. So don’t forget to add the “social”, in your daily time on social media. Connect with people in the same group of your industry. You can start by adding them on LinkedIn so you get to view their professional experience. Furthermore, you can add their personal accounts on Facebook or Twitter, so you get to know more of them on a personal level.
Engage with Influencers
It is essential to engage with industry influencers if you want to lead more exposure to your brand. Influencers serve as a “trusted voice” for a huge market, so they tend to be trusted by most consumers. And, they are able to create content in a unique and personable manner, so it can possibly drive more sales and awareness to your brand. Try connecting with an influencer through Instagram or Facebook and see if they are open for collaborations and sponsored content to add more traffic for your business.
Ask for Online Recommendations
Whether it’s for your business or your own freelance hobby, getting a recommendation from someone is important and can help you get more exposure and more clients. Through social media, ask your past clients to review your Facebook page with their experience while working with you. Thus, it can drive more people to your page. You may also create an album specifically dedicated to the reviews of others, if they sent you recommendations through emails or text messages.
Join a Facebook Group of your Interest(s)
The power of “community” is one of the key factors in maximizing your time online. Aside from personally connecting to people in your industry, it is also highly recommended to join a Facebook group of your interest to be part of a larger discussion of news and current affairs. Usually, a group admin posts a question or asks about a personal experience on a certain subject matter, then group members will comment their own experiences. Usually a Facebook community group consists of thousands of group members, so it’s a good place to network your brand as well.
Be Updated with the Latest Trends
Social media is a very dynamic platform that keeps changing day to day. With just a blink of an eye, Facebook can change their algorithms and Instagram can launch new tools like IGTV or Stories–that can directly affect your business. So it’s necessary for you to keep track of the latest trends in order to maximize your online presence. It’s good to follow the verified accounts of the social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, so you get to see if they have new features that you need to watch out for.
Talk About your Personal Experiences
If you’ve been friends with people on Facebook for the longest time, chances are they have a slight hint on what you do and what your business is about. However, how can you make them even more interested in what you can offer? The answer is pretty simple, it’s through your experiences. Talk about your experiences in a more personal and relatable manner and they will be more engaged to like or comment. The power of personal stories is very compelling. Take for instance the trending Facebook pages like Humans of New York or Humans of Rome, people respond to personal and heartfelt stories more compared to simple narratives.
Post Great Visuals
Stunning videos and photographs make a huge difference in an social media feed full of posts. Since you’re competing with visibility from other brands and people, you need to make sure that the things you post have eye-catching images so you get a lot of response from people. As much as possible, combine lengthy textual posts with two to four images to increase the reach of your followers on your page.
Share Posts from Other Sources
Aside from posting content from your business, it’s also advisable to post articles, images, or videos curated from other sources. Doing so will help your Facebook page be known for sharing relevant information from credible sources. Plus, it will also create engagement from the followers of the blog or brand which you reposted from, so it’s a win-win situation.
Don’t be Afraid to try New Things
Since social media is an ever changing medium, you have to be innovative and bold when it comes to reaching your audience. Don’t hesitate to try a new platform, download a new tool, or even pay for ads! It’s all part of the learning experience in building your brand in the digital community, so make sure you keep trying new things to be able to reach more people on a day to day basis.
Build up your Own Unique Presence
Making your business prominent on social media can be a bit tricky since it involves a lot of research, time, and effort. But, aside from the click-worthy articles, or the picturesque images that you can post, remember: it’s not just about your talent or expertise in the business, it’s about what you stand for and what you can offer uniquely to your audience. At the end of the day, people want unique brands that have a distinct voice. Think long-term and assess what makes you stand out from the rest, then your investment will fully flourish.