7 Social Media Best Practices
Showing up consistently is one of the best ways to build up a relationship with your audience. A strong relationship means higher trust and confidence, so that your audience is happy to buy from you.
There’s a myriad of tips and best practices when it comes to social media, so I’ve put together a handful of faves.
REGULARLY REVIEW YOUR STATISTICS
Make it part of your schedule to review your social media statistics. But don’t get too hung up on the "vanity" metrics. While having tens of thousands of followers might be great for the ego, if they aren’t engaging then it’s still the equivalent of talking in a crowded & loud room - no one is listening.
You want to look at your engagement metrics. These can include comments, likes, shares, saves, clicks…essentially any action that a follower is taking.
And pay particular attention to the posts that are garnering the highest engagement numbers. What was the topic? What was the caption? Was it a video? If it’s resonating with your followers, you want to do more of those.
IT'S YOU, NOT ME
Your posts should always be customer-focused and providing something of value to them. You can entertain, educate, inspire, backstage pass glimpse, describe the benefits they will enjoy from your product/service.
KEEP IT VARIED - AVOID PERMANENT SALES MODE
The ultimate goal of your social channels is to be a market tool to help you grow your sales & business. But no one likes to be sold to every time they hear from someone. So be careful not to fall into that trap. This is where mapping out your social posts in a monthly strategy is key.
You don’t need to post every day, but you do want to make sure your posts are varied.
For example: personal insights, inspiration/encouragement, benefits, product/service showcase, behind-the-scenes, personal insights etc.
POST WHEN YOUR AUDIENCE IS ONLINE
This goes back to looking at your analytical data. Look to see when are the most popular days/times your audience is online, and schedule your posts to be published during those times. You’ll increase both your reach and your engagement rates.
ASK QUESTIONS
Asking questions is one of the best ways to start a conversation – true in life, true in social media. The question can be fun, such as asking are you a bays-for-days or live-or-die-chestnut, or a more thoughtful question that is related to your product/service. For example, an equine massage therapist might ask how your horse shows you he’s uncomfortable.
GET ENGAGED YOURSELF
If someone posts a comment, don’t forget to post back! Not only does this activity help the algorithms, which means higher visibility, but it also humanizes your brand and demonstrates that you are engaged and happy to chat with your customers / would-be customers.
CONSISTENCY CONSISTENCY CONSISTENCY
I can’t stress this enough. Showing up consistently can have a significant positive impact on the engagement and growth of your social media channels. First, it will make the algorithms happy (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube etc.). Second, and more importantly, it will help boost your know/like/trust factor with your audience. And that currency is gold.
Until next time!
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