It’s fair to say that social media is taking over the world. As of January 2022, there are 4.62 billion social media users around the world. That’s over half the world’s population! Social media isn’t simply just for selfies and pictures of fancy food, though (even though we love that too!) There’s also no better way of marketing your startup. Social media is now the best way to interact with your customers and reach new audiences. But with so many businesses turning to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to target consumers, how do you make yours stand out?
Hashtags
Hashtags. We’ve all heard of them. In recent years they’ve been associated with everyday speech, with phrases like ‘hashtag blessed’ worming their way into our vocabulary. But use them in the right way and they can help bring new people to your posts. In essence, hashtags are keywords that social media users can search when they’re interested in a particular topic. So, there’s no point being super specific with phrases like #mybrowndogissocute. Rather, stick to general keywords that are relevant to your business and your post. If you’re stuck, hashtag generator tools can help!
Audience interaction
Always remember who you’re talking to. At the end of a post, ask your audience to leave a comment and encourage conversation and healthy debate. On Instagram and Facebook, you can create polls to encourage your audience to give you feedback on your product. But don’t just leave it there. Show your consumers you care about their opinions by replying to comments and acting on any advice or criticism they might give you. This builds trust in your brand and shows that you care!
Advertising
If you’re lucky enough to have a decent marketing budget, using social media to advertise your business can be an amazing way of targeting new customers. But before you dip into your pocket, it’s important to think about who your audience is. This will help you decide which platforms to promote your startup on. For example, the primary user age on Instagram worldwide is under 34, whereas Facebook users now tend to be slightly older. Advertising can be expensive, so consider whether it is necessary for your startup at this particular time, or whether there are better, free ways you can advertise.
Social media analytics
At face value, analytics can seem confusing. However, social media analytics can be simply understood as collecting and analysing data about your business on social media to help you make marketing decisions. Analytics can inform you about what your audience likes and dislikes about your content and the subjects they care most about. If you use it effectively, you’ll be able to increase engagement and grow your social media profiles. If you are unable to dedicate a team to analysing your social media profiles, there are online tools that can do it for you!
Engaging Content
There are various social media hacks that can help widen the reach of your posts, but ultimately the content itself has to be interesting and relevant for your audience. For example, if you’re a children’s clothing business, there’s no point in creating a post about the five best artists in the world. Always put yourself in your audience’s shoes. Why should I read about how I should buy a new TV? What value will that bring to my life? It’s also important to mix up your content. Don’t use every post as an opportunity to promote your product, rather think about entertaining as well as informing your followers.
In this day and age, most of us understand the basics of social media content. However, with so many businesses flocking to social networks to market their products, consumers are often overwhelmed with choice. These social media hacks will not only help you grow your startup but also enable your consumers to distinguish your business from the many others out there!
