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Social Media. Many of you have access to social media and probably use it religiously. Whether it’s to keep up with old friends and/or distant relatives, read the news, look up new recipes or watch funny dance videos, we all have access to social media. Many businesses are using this to their advantage. Social media advertising is becoming one of the fastest-growing ways to advertise or promote a business or product (or just about anything). But, there’s much more to advertising on social media than you think. If you are looking to start growing your business on social media, here are some quick do’s and don’ts:
DO: Keep It Short, Sweet and To-The-Point
Everyone is busy. Everyone has things to do. So you want to catch the reader’s attention quickly. No one has time to scroll and read several paragraphs worth of information. Try to avoid lengthy captions and keep it to a three-sentence maximum. Also, make sure to catch the reader's (or viewer’s) attention within the first few words. Remember that social media leaves little room for long-winded words and the audience’s attention span is very limited (they are usually scrolling while traveling, at home doing chores, on their lunch break, walking to and from class, etc).
DON’T: Wait Until The Last Minute
There is so much more to social media than hitting the “post” button. While social media can grow engagement quicker than most forms of media (i.e. TV, radio, print, etc.), it still takes time to gain traction. So, it’s a good idea to set deadlines for social media posts just as you would for radio or television. Post as soon as you can so you can allow time for organic growth.
DO: Know Your Audience…and Post Accordingly
As the old saying goes, “there’s something for everyone.” That also applies to social media. It is not a one-size-fits-all thing. It’s important to remember that each social media platform has a different purpose and caters to a different audience. Looking to reach the Gen-X and Boomer population? Then posting an informative paragraph (consisting of 3-4 sentences max) on Facebook would be perfect. Looking to reach millennials and Gen-Z? Posting a pretty photograph or a funny video on Twitter, Instagram or TikTok would be the way to go. Looking to reach individuals in the corporate world looking to network? Then posting a few informative paragraphs on LinkedIn would work. And the great thing about this is, you can convey the same message across platforms! You just have to cater to your audience and said platform.
DON’T: Leave Your Followers Out
Engage with your followers. Follow them back, like their posts and respond to comments. This is perhaps the biggest way to organically grow a following on social media.
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