Most small businesses don’t have the means to hire a social media manager, so it’s up to the owner to produce their company’s content. Managing a mix of social media accounts or email newsletters is a lot of work, and without the right message, you could end up wasting hours on content that gains little to no impressions.
Today, it’s rarely about what business has the best content, and rather becomes about which companies are savvy enough to produce posts that fit the general social media “mold.” The better you can emulate the usual tone, wording, and features of popular accounts, the more digestible your content will become. Improving this means of access for consumers gives you more room to customize your message and share important news about your company. Whether you’re a restaurant looking to introduce new menu changes or a salon advertising a killer sale, you’ll want to ensure you’re making the most of your social media.
Hone in on What Platform You’re Using
For many, Facebook and Instagram are great ways to reach your customers. Because they allow customers to follow your account, you’ll be able to keep track of how many die-hard fans you’re retaining and get a better sense of who your MVPs are.
However, there are also invisible impressions you can’t track on just these platforms alone. The majority of social media users are referred to as “lurkers” in online traffic reports, which means they hover over media without actively liking or engaging with it. In this way, your posts may be reaching hundreds of people even if they only have a dozen likes because they’ll pop up on your followers’ followers’ newsfeed. If this seems confusing, don’t worry — it is.
The best way to track user traffic is through a program like Hootsuite or Google Analytics. However, these can be very time-consuming platforms if you’re also trying to run your business’s day-to-day operations. Instead, it’s important to create content that users actively engage with and to convert as many lurkers into active responders as possible.
Loop in Active Participants to Gain New Followers
The easiest way to generate user engagement is to simply create engaging media. This is why so many business owners turn to giveaways or contests, which can quickly reach thousands of active users on any platform. The important thing is to require users to be following your account to qualify for entry and then create rules that further boost engagement.
For example, say your business wants to give away a $25 gift certificate, free three-course dinner for two, or a styling appointment. You can create a post inviting users to apply and either ask them to tag a friend in the comments below or repost the image to their story or personal user page. This will ensure that all of their followers see your content, which means quick, exponential growth in your impressions.
Then, if their followers decide they also want to apply to win your promotion, they’ll tag more accounts or share your post even further. This can lead to hundreds of new followers overnight, but it’s up to you to create a strong promotion. Try to select a deal that you know will entice your community and speak to what excites them the most.
Call to Action Prompts
If you’re looking for the perfect way to introduce daily content, look no further. Without running a competition or giveaway, you can still increase user engagement by simply creating content that contains strong calls to action. For example, on Instagram, many users will begin a sentence with “Double Tap if you love . . .” The double tap will trigger a like, but it’s a more fun way to get users engaged than by simply asking them to like your content.
If you post a recipe, infographic, or styling guide, make sure to begin your caption with “Save this post if. . .” The number of posts that users save from your profile also weighs into your impressions and can affect where and how often your posts show up on your followers’ timelines.
At times, you may want to generate more comments on your posts. With comments and likes listed at the top of every post’s caption, they can be a clear way for your readers to decide how to gauge your content. To create a conversation, use phrases like “Comment Your Favorite Flower Below to Get Ready for Spring” or “We’re Trying to Figure Out How Many Scorpios Are Following Us, Comment Your Astrological Sign Below!” These customizable builds will push users to comment more often because they want to state their unique, identity-driven ideas.
Of course, you can always use phrases like “Check out the story we just posted” or “Check out the Link in Bio” to ensure users take advantage of any content you’re promoting and use your posts for cross-promotion.
Calls to Action in Print Advertising
While they’ve become a necessary component in social media posting, Calls to Action have been a part of advertising campaigns for years. Embedding one in a print advertisement is just a means of saying “Find us on Facebook at. . .” or “Check out our full menu at the link below.” Any straightforward demand can entice readers to “Act Now!”
If you’re curious about what kind of results a Call to Action can bring, try including one below your next coupon advertisement. Many small businesses decide to run coupon campaigns at their local supermarket because grocery store advertising has remained one of the best mediums for hyper-local advertising today. The right supermarket advertisement can reach thousands of local shoppers, and with the right Call to Action, you can count on tons of new fans, followers, and most importantly, customers!
IndoorMedia pairs with supermarkets across the country to help local businesses reach new clients through smart grocery store advertising. Check out the coupon receipt advertising program here, which allows businesses to print on the backs of grocery store receipts. That means huge savings for small businesses on print and ink costs and the chance to send your ad home in the pocket of every single shopper.
By Talitha Turkin
By IndoorMedia Marketing