We all know the importance of building out a social media following for our brands. The more people we have viewing our content the better results we get for our brand.
But 1000’s of followers won’t mean much if we can’t engage those followers on our social media page. First we acquire a follower and then we do our best to engage them through our posts, stories etc.
Content creation can be a challenge for certain brands. Depending on the nature of the market they serve. Some markets and audiences are easier to create content than others. Consistent content will help to engage, indoctrinate, influence and persuade your followers to purchase from your brand.
In this post I am going to go over seven ways to help you acquire more engagement on your social media.
Let’s dive right in…
Educate Your Followers
One of the best ways to engage your audience is to educate them on your brand and the type of benefits it can offer. Demonstrate how your products work. Show them how they alleviate a pain point or deliver on a positive transformation.
Help your audience to understand how your brand offers a more results orientated way of producing a desired result. How does your offer improve what already exists in the market today?
When your audience understands more about the value you offer on a deeper level, it produces more commitment and engagement. The end result is that you acquire more purchasing decisions from your engaged followers.
Consistently Connect
How? One of the best ways to connect with your followers on social media is by recording yourself on video or going live from time to time. I’ve said this in many of the consultations I’ve in the past…
People don’t purchase from websites, they purchase from people. Your followers like to see the face behind the value of the brand. So if possible, show your face from time to time and announce any news you have.
How about doing a product demonstration? Announcing an up and coming sale? Q&A? New product launch?
You’ll build more “know, like and trust” with your audience and stand out more as the solution to their desires because you are connecting with them on a deeper level and developing that bond.
Get Commenting
Might be an obvious one… but sometimes a little overlooked. If your followers are engaging with your posts, be sure to reply back. Whether that’s an answer to a question or simply saying “hey” back to one of your followers.
If someone writes a comment, shares an opinion, be sure to reply back! This makes your followers feel valued by your brand. It creates a responsive image for your brand – which is the base sign of good follower and customer care.
Run Contests & Giveaways
A great way to keep those followers engaged is through the use of contests and giveaways. Gamification like this is great fun for your followers. It’s also good for branding and can even generate sales. (Offer a consolation incentive to those that don’t win your giveaway)
People just cannot resist taking part and grabbing the chance of getting something for free! Make sure you create an irresistible offer that attracts your target audience specifically. You can even do multiple winners. This makes the giveaway even more attractive.
Ask your audience why they would like to win the giveaway via the comments section in the post. You’ll pick up some interesting intelligence about why they want to get your product.
Polls & Surveys
If there is one thing we like doing as people, it’s sharing our opinions based on our interests. Everyone likes to share his or her point of view. Ask your followers opinion by asking them to participate in your opinion poll.
Surveys offer a ton of valuable information which you can use during the year to develop new products and services. Knowing the opinion of your followers will also help you in targeting your advertisements!
User Generated Content
I touched up about UGC in a recent post and why it’s important for brands to get this type of content. Whether it’s unboxing videos or testimonials of your products, this content is great for posting up on your social media stories and posts.
It gets engagement because your followers like to see that people in their tribe are getting a great experience from your brand. It conveys the feelings people desire when receiving your products and more importantly… getting the results they want from your products. You can choose the best UGC content, and use them for advertisements! Just make sure you get the approval of the customer first!
Create Teaser Content
Let’s say you have a mega sale coming up or a new product line you want to launch. You can create some great engagement with your followers by “teasing” them with content about what you have to offer.
Share some videos or photos and let your followers guess what plan you have lined up for them. Get them excited about the new release. It’s exciting to wait for something. The whole anticipation and build up to something good can result in more engagement and revenue for your brand.
That’s all I got for today folks. What other ways do you engage your followers? Please share in the comments below
