07 Dec Social Media Marketing Success: 8 High Impact Tweaks that Work
I wish I could say there was one magic formula for social media marketing success. In the real world, it comes down to one thing: constant experimentation.
Every month, we look at what works for our clients (and our own channels). We throw out the ideas that fell flat, brainstorm new ones, make tweaks here and there and try, try again.
Let’s save you some time! The following eight tips are proven to impact engagement levels for our clients and us.
1. Post quick videos
Social media marketing success does not require hours of blood, sweat and tears. This is especially true for video.
Videos do not need to be long or professionally produced to grab people’s attention. I strip a blog post down to an outline, practice a couple of times and hit “record” on my smartphone camera.
I used to do regular Periscope broadcasts before switching to Facebook Live. I didn’t see an ROI from either platform (and yes, I was paying to boost my videos on Facebook). After posting my first video on LinkedIn, I danced a happy dance. It got a ton of interaction (and it even got shared! The holy grail of social media engagement – woot!).
Next up: Twitter.
Like I said above, experimentation is key. If you don’t see results after several attempts, try a different platform.
2. Write detailed descriptions
If you sell products, compelling and detailed descriptions are a must. One of our current clients is a jewelry designer, but her passion, knowledge and attention to detail are not reflected in the product descriptions she writes.
As we re-write all of those descriptions, we are seeing immediate impact. When one of those updated product descriptions appears on Facebook alongside a stunning photo, we get likes, comments and clicks. Products with “old” descriptions do not.
For inspiration, turn to some of your favorite brands. How do they describe products? What words stand out for you?
3. Always add photos
You would think that a post on LinkedIn for a really cool job in a creative field would get immediate engagement. People look for jobs on LinkedIn, right? So why was no one clicking on our client’s posts?
This particular client is a niche recruiting firm. They thought the job title would speak for itself – but they were getting zero engagement.
We suggested adding a stock photo to each job posting. It was like waving a magic wand – instant engagement and tons of clicks.
4. Leave comments (this is our favorite social media marketing success tip)
It’s really amazing what happens when you make an effort to interact with others on social media. We humans have a basic need to be heard and acknowledged. Because so few people bother to acknowledge others on social media, any effort to do so stands out.
Part of every social media marketing client engagement includes commenting on other people’s posts. This quickly raises our client’s visibility.
Here at Jansen Communications, I comment on stuff in my LinkedIn news feed and we retweet stuff we love (including a quick explanation of why).
Sure, these people we are interacting with might not be ideal clients. Even if they are, it might not lead to a direct sale. But they’ll remember you, and they might even refer people to you.
5. Share between accounts
Even though LinkedIn is an awesome business-focused marketing platform, building followers and getting engagement on a company page is a Herculean task. You, the successful business owner, might have 850 followers on LinkedIn, but your company might only have 15.
So why bother with a LinkedIn company page? Three reasons:
- LinkedIn has very high authority, so having a backlink from LinkedIn to your website can boost your website’s search ranking.
- Your active company page can show up in search results.
- People may bypass your website and check out your company page to see what you’re all about.
For our clients who have a LinkedIn company page, we post original content – blog posts, announcements, etc. – on the company page. Then we share those posts on the company owner’s/leader’s pages. This helps boost company page visibility.
6. Update your cover photo
When we updated the cover photo of a client’s Facebook Page, it organically showed up in the newsfeeds of some of her fans. That simple update got a lot of engagement – likes and comments. And because it had been a dormant Page, we were really surprised.
We are going to try experimenting with changing cover photos on occasion. The client I mentioned above is a Realtor. We could certainly change out her cover photo each season and see what happens.
Can you do something similar? It’s worth a try, especially if it results in organic reach.
7. Track hashtags
Another client is in a very seasonal business: luxury restroom trailers. As you might imagine, they service a lot of outdoor weddings.
So here it is December, and you’d think social media activity would be dead. Nope! We have been tracking wedding-related hashtags and apparently winter weddings are big.
Will those winter weddings be outside? Here in the DC area, the answer is no. But actively joining these conversations keeps this client on the radar of wedding planners, venues, caterers and other vendors. Thus, we are setting them up for future social media marketing success.
8. Participate in Twitter chats
You are probably sick of hearing me talk about Twitter chats by now, but they have been a godsend for us. It is the easiest way to engage in real-time conversations with people around the world.
Don’t just blast out your answers or ideas and ignore other people. Respond to tweets. Agree, disagree, ask another question, make a joke – be social!
You will not only boost your visibility on Twitter, but you will also develop solid relationships. And you might even be asked to guest-host!
Do you have a social media marketing success story?
We are always learning, and we’d love to hear from you. What high-impact tips can you share?
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