Visibility is the great promise of social media marketing. Done right, your business gets seen by wider and wider networks of people. You know what that means: More leads, more conversions, more positive associations with your brand, and a growing company. It may sound like a fairy tale, but this happy ending actually exists.
You're not a major business, you may think. How will you ever make a splash like big brand names? Well, lucky for you, social media marketing success doesn't depend upon the size of your company. It depends upon the quality of your social media marketing campaign. That's something that a little creativity, some professional guidance, and a commitment to excellence can achieve for companies of any size.
While you need to develop a long-term social media marketing strategy, there are some things you can do today to get your campaign off to the right start, especially if you want to use Facebook as one of your platforms. Here are a few simple strategies for posting on Facebook that can improve your visibility as you get your social media marketing campaign off to a good start.
Create Facebook posts that cater to your audience's interests, not your own self-promotion.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when posting on Facebook as part of a social media marketing campaign is to blatantly promote yourself. People go on Facebook to escape the stresses of life for awhile. They want content that isn't about getting them to do something. They want content that is fun. Engaging. Enjoyable.
To that end, create Facebook posts that cater to your audience's interests, not your own self-promotion. That means, for example, laying off the hype about your latest summer bathing suit sales and instead having a fun conversation about beach faux pas. When your posts are fun and engaging, people will come to you when they want to know more.
Post at the right times.
Do you want your Facebook posts to be seen? Then you may want to put them up Thursdays at 2 p.m. or 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Studies have shown that mid-afternoon during the weekdays or late afternoon on the weekends get posts the most visibility.
Of course, your audience could be a little bit different, so don't be afraid to experiment. Start putting up posts at the theoretical best times, and then move posting times around a little to see what kind of reaction you get. When you know the best times to post for your business, you know how to make your social media marketing campaign just a little more visible, all without making any big changes to your existing strategy.
Put up some (short and engaging) videos.
Facebook Live isn't just for demonstrating your ability to have a chat with your audience in your car. Videos both live and pre-recorded are performing well on this social media marketing platform. With Facebook users watching more than 100 million hours of video on the platform every single day, it's pretty clear what your next social media marketing step should be.
When you decide to adopt videos as part of your social media marketing campaign though, don't just throw up a talking head or a lengthy discussion. Facebook users want their videos to be short and sweet, and preferably live. We recommend sticking to less than two minutes and, again, keeping the topic light, interesting, and tailored to your customers' interests. It's all about them, not about you.
Encourage user-generated content.
Let's face it: Posting on Facebook can be time consuming. That's why you should get your users to do it for you. Yes, we're serious. And yes, this strategy actually works. Today, simply put up a contest announcement: You want people to post pictures of themselves using your products in a creative way. The most creative entry will win a prize. Winners will be chosen every day for the next week. Boom. You're done. Want to make it even easier? Make one of your products the prize.
Something simple but engaging like a photo contest can get people talking about (and posting about) your brand. All good things when it comes to a successful social media marketing campaign. Plus, you enjoy free, engaging content that you didn't have to create yourself.
Start responding to comments on your Facebook account.
The social part of social media means that these platforms are best used as conversations with your networks. This means, of course that you need to hold up your end of the conversation. Facebook can be a valuable part of your social media marketing campaign when you respond to comments, both positive and negative, to your posts.
In fact, Facebook can even serve as an impromptu customer service platform. Impress customers with responsive and honest answers to their questions and comments. Be part of the conversation and watch their brand loyalty grow.
Social media marketing on Facebook can grow your company's visibility, if you do it right. Start with a few simple steps today. Then reach out to Distinct Web Design. We can help you craft a social media marketing campaign across all relevant channels to capture the leads and visibility you need to thrive.
