Social media Followers have the potential to become loyal customers and advocates for your business. Ninety percent of shoppers say they buy from brands they follow on social media. Suffice to say, a main priority for your social media marketing strategy should be growing your Followers and cultivating existing ones, as this will lead to wider Reach, boosted Engagement, and an ever-expanding base of dedicated consumers. We’ve compiled just what you can do to achieve that.
Content that engages and adds value to your Followers’ lives will be sure to attract new ones, and this can include:
There’s not a universal content type that works for everyone, so feel free to try different approaches to determine what resonates best with your audiences.
Now that you have some ideas for engaging, valuable content to post, you need to make sure it’s posted consistently. At face value, it just looks good to prospective Followers. Sporadic posting can dissuade potential Followers, because how valuable can one’s content be if it’s only posted once every few months? On a more technical level, consistency plays a big role in how algorithms determine what content your Followers will see. Ergo, consistent posting leads to consistent Engagement and new Follower growth.
Following accounts similar to you in product offering or location can serve as a great discovery tool. They’ll most likely return the follow, which then helps your page get suggested to their Followers.
In addition to following similar accounts, you should also follow the brands your store carries and partner with them directly to curate posts for your social media presence. This will ensure you share high-quality content that’s engaging and consistent. Plus, it makes it easier for brands to spotlight you in their own content, which can mean a new wave of exposure and potential Followers for your accounts.
In addition to responding to comments on your posts, try commenting on the posts of other businesses or individuals in your community. You can answer questions, leave a helpful tip, or just provide some kind words. When people see your comments, they may be inclined to check out your page and eventually follow you. You can search for people and places by location using Facebook and Instagram.
Just to cover all the bases, make sure your social media accounts can be easily accessed on any non-social-media customer touch points. Website pages, email campaigns, and other digital assets should include direct, functioning links to your channels, and tangible items like receipts or shopping bags should include your social media handles, too.
Give users a way to find you based on their interests, because there’s usually an intention to follow there. Use the names of your products and brands, as well as popular terminology among your target audience, to boost your chance of catching a potential Follower’s eye.
This is another quick and easy way for people to find your page. Many people search by location — specifically cities — to find new businesses in their area, ideas for things to do, or just to follow more content they like.
This popular tactic involves reposting content created by customers. User-generated content (UGC) can include photos, videos, and product reviews that speak to the quality of your store’s products or customer service.
UGC promotes Engagement and Exposure by incentivizing customers with the potential to be reposted. In order for you to see their content, they have to tag your account or incorporate your branded hashtag in their posts. This simple process introduces you to their Followers, who could soon become yours.
Contests and giveaways are great for boosting Engagement and getting Followers. Typically, entry for a giveaway requires following the account hosting the giveaway, liking the giveaway post, and tagging a friend (or a few) in the comments. It’s possible that some of those tagged friends will be interested in your content and follow you.
When we talked about engaging content earlier, we mentioned adding value through exclusive content. Some techniques to really incentivize new Followers include offering in-store freebies or perks for proof of a follow, or holding frequent promotions for your online store that are exclusive to social media, such as unique discount codes sprinkled throughout Instagram captions. One would need to follow your account to really stay on top of these deals.
Now that you have some ideas to work with, it’s time to put them into action. And with ThumbStopper, you can do so effortlessly. Our automation platform consistently posts high-quality branded content to your social channels for boosted Exposure, Engagement, and Followers.
Because retailers on ThumbStopper post better content more frequently, they see a larger increase in Fan Growth. Average business pages gain Fans and Followers at a rate of 1.6 percent. Meanwhile, ThumbStopper retailers grow Fans and Followers at a rate of 12.5 percent.
Ready to get started? Contact ThumbStopper today.