Use These 7 Strategies to Master Social Media

1. Find Out Where Your Audience Is

There are many different popular social media platforms on the web. Keep in  mind that when you’re first starting out, it’s not a good idea to jump in and try to master all of them.

Focus only on the one or two main social sites that your audience tends to inhabit. Take the time to research and find out where your customers and potential customers are spending the majority of their time.

Nearly everyone is on Facebook so that’s a logical place to start. You should also consider other sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest and others.  You do not have to take part in ALL of them. Make the most efficient use of your time only on the social media sites that your audience tends to gravitate to.

2. Building Authority

Building your authority on social media platforms is essential. Help people by answering any questions they may have related to your industry or company. For instance, you can use Twitter to find people curious about subjects related to your product or service using Twitter search filters. Then, simply take a few moments to answer some of the questions that you discover. If you can leverage this strategy over time, you will establish your authority on Twitter, which will have a positive effect on the amount of business you can generate from Facebook, Twitter, etc.

3. Harness the Power of Video

Video is also a powerful way to boost your authority. Create a “how to” style YouTube channel. Nearly every business has subjects and topics that their customers would like to learn more about. If you can develop a series of videos that answer these questions, you could build a substantial following of loyal subscribers, who anxiously await every video you post.

People will watch and share your videos, recognize you as a trusted source of information, and be more likely to do business with you in the near future.

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4. Post Often and Consistently

Businesses that post content on a regular basis tend to generate better results from social media than businesses that post sporadically. Social media is all about engagement. Regular posting will help your business show up in the timelines of your audience. The more often your content appears, the more likely it is that your audience will pay attention to the information you post.

Bottom line: Establish an effective posting schedule that works for you. Whether you want to post once, twice, or three times or more per day, get organized and stick to your schedule for best results.

5. Mix Self Promotion with Other Helpful Content

If you’re thinking that the most effective way to market on social media is to only promote your products and services, take a moment to think about that. It could turn your followers off and cause them to stop associating with you all together. Why? Because it’s more like bragging than sharing. The nature of social media is to share other people’s content.

The best strategy is to alternate between promotions/advertisements and valuable content that is relevant and helpful to your audience. Also, be sure to share your customers posts, tweets, etc. as it shows that you care about them. It’s a professional courtesy that could reap significant rewards.

What do I Share?

Content from your followers that doesn’t directly compete with your product or services. Consider providing links to news stories, articles, blog posts, videos, audio recordings, and any other type of content that is related to your business or of benefit to help and co-promote your followers.

6. Don’t rely completely of Facebook

Facebook is the largest social media network with the most traffic and is very easy to use. It seems that everyone is on Facebook. But, your customers are also using other social media outlets.

For example, Pinterest is a great source of social media traffic. Especially if you have a business that relies on visuals, such as e-commerce. LinkedIn is a powerful choice for establishing professional connections and employment opportunities. Instagram is another growing social media site that takes advantage of visual content marketing, such as photos and videos.

7. Measure Statistics and Track Results

Most social media platforms have tools that allow you to track the popularity and reach of your posts and tweets. Take advantage and use them. This is useful because you can easily find out what type of content is more effective for generating shares and engagement. Use this accumulated data to optimize your social media efforts and overall strategy.