Social Media Strategy / Member Spotlight May 2020
Rules of thumb for Instagram/Facebook/LinkedIn:
When creating your social media strategy, it’s important to focus on two key points.
- Who is your audience?
- What are their pain points?
Every post you create should speak to your audience and convey to them how your produce/service can help them without being “salesy”.
80/20 rule:
The point of your social media presence is not to sell something but, rather, to make meaningful connections. Typically, once you have established relationships, sales will follow.
Use the 80/20 rule as a general guide to achieve the right balance. Ensure that 80% of your posts are of a SOCIAL nature and 20% of your posts are promotional.
Some other things to consider:
Algorithms reward people who are consistent in their posting. Create a schedule you can stick to.
Don’t post something and forget about it. Respond to your follower’s questions and comments. Ask open-ended questions to encourage engagement.
When possible, avoid putting links in your posts that direct your followers away from the platform.
Do not ask people to “like” or “comment” on your posts. Platforms like interactions to be organic and will penalize users who solicit followers by reducing their reach. Rather than say, “Comment below…” try asking a question that will elicit a response.
Where possible, do not post the same content across all platforms on the same day. If people follow you on three platforms and see the same content across all three in the same day, they may unfollow you on one or two of them to eliminate repetition.
Instagram:
Instagram = slow growth! You have to keep at it to see results. Remember to post consistently and engage with your followers.
If you see a post you like, recreate it using captivating images (beware of copyrights!). Original posts fare better than posts that have already been seen over and over again.
Use up to 30 hashtags but be sure to use hashtags that are not banned or inappropriate.
Mix up the hashtags. Instagram’s algorithm may reduce your reach if you use the same hashtags for every post.
Always think about what your audience wants. Look at your insights to see what is working and what isn’t.
Facebook’s algorithm looks for posts that offer high value, and organic engagement/comments. The more organic likes, shares, comments you get, the more people your page will reach. If you get enough likes, shares, and comments, FB will show your page in feeds outside of your audience.
Avoid posting business on your personal page.
Avoid using words such as: like, comment, share, free, buy one get one, etc. Get creative and find other ways to get people’s attention.
When doing a poll, try saying, “Do you like option A or B?” rather than “Comment below with your answer.”
When running a contest, watch your wording! Asking people to like, comment, share, etc., to get an entry in a contest is called engagement baiting. This practice is looked down upon by FB and it can get your page shut down.
Always think about what your audience wants. Look at your insights to see what is working and what isn’t.
If your posts don’t get engagement, likes, or shares, your page will be demoted.
Avoid posting more than 1-2 posts per day. If you’re going to do two posts, try to post them at least two hours apart.
Common practice on LinkedIn is to use up to five hashtags. As with other platforms, mix up your hashtags.
When reaching out to potential new connections, send a short (non-promotional!) message that tells them a bit about you and why you hope to connect.
Photo by Kerde Severin from Pexels