Social media is a powerful tool, and there are some quick and easy ways to grow your business using the different platforms. One way is to make sure your potential customers know how to reach you. Here are some simple steps you can take right now to improve your social feeds.

Update Your Profiles

First things first, let’s talk about your profiles. Do you have an “about me” section on your page? Do you want to show what it is you offer? Did you have an event on your page? It’s all in there.

It doesn’t have to be a huge page, but make it engaging and interesting for your customers. Include how best to reach you, your website, other social media platforms (if there is room in the bio), and include “office hours” even if you don’t have a physical office.

The banner on your Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and/or YouTube offers prime real estate to point existing, and new followers to your current offer. Think of it as a billboard on the highway. Use it to guide them to what link to click to find out more.

On your Clubhouse profile make sure to include a section with the current offer and a link to connect to that offer. Keep the link simple, for example, staceyonsocial.com/resources is the link I use on my social media as a landing page.

Share Quality Content

This sounds obvious, but the amount of time that people spend online is growing. You can see this by looking at the Nielsen Report and noticing that 53 percent of internet users spent time online this year. That’s a big jump from the 36 percent who said the same last year. 

If you want to reach more people, you must be able to capture their attention quickly. You’ll also want to make sure you’re providing quality content. No matter the channel, it’s important to produce quality content. 

Content is a form of storytelling, and people like to be engaged with those who provide quality content. Focus on telling stories that inspire your audience, whether you’re posting videos, photos, or written content.

Create Engaging Posts

When you know what your customers and fans alike, you can create posts that have high engagement. The posts with a high engagement will be the ones that reach your followers and convert them into customers. This is especially important when you are launching a new product. You need to know what your followers like so that you can create posts that will work for them.

Post Consistently

The best way to achieve this is to post on social media platforms on a regular schedule. What you should keep in mind is that you are going to reach more people this way, so be sure to post consistently. 

Do not do this just to boost your number of followers, but to increase your reach and engagement. You can also use different platforms to increase your reach. Facebook and Twitter work well for this, but Instagram, Pinterest, Clubhouse, and LinkedIn can also bring new customers to you.

Now that you know to regularly post on social media, the next thing you want to do is get involved and engage with the platforms. One way to do this is to join groups and communities. They can be like family and bring you closer to your potential customers.

Add Your Social Media Links to Your Website

This is one of the most common but often overlooked ways to use social media. If you own a business, chances are you’re on multiple social media platforms, and each of those platforms has its own set of tools for interacting with customers. 

It’s easy to forget to include your social links on your website so they’re readily available to potential customers. It’s important to mention this in your marketing materials so people can find them easily. You can also include a link to your social media profiles on your business card, other social platforms, or in the description box of any videos you make.

Include Your Social Accounts in The Signature Of Your Emails

To get started, you’ll want to make sure that people who sign up for your email list see your business’s name in your signature. That way, when they click on your email to find out more about what you’re offering. They see that you’re on Facebook and that you use Instagram (or another platform).

Make sure that the social media icons are clickable by embedding a link in the icon. I recommend that you use an email list provider like Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign to connect with your subscribers and to remain compliant with privacy laws. These providers offer templates that include the right icons for the different platforms and can automatically connect your platforms to every email you send out.

For emails going out to individual clients outside of your newsletter or subscription, consider adding an email footer that is clickable to your featured product or service. Above that include the platforms they can connect with you on so that they don’t have to search the Internet for you.

Cross-Promote Your Accounts

If your business is on Facebook, for example, you should be sharing your other social media handles and channels as content on your page. The same goes for the other platforms you have. Share on LinkedIn that you’re on Instagram and Facebook, or hosting a Clubhouse room.

Pro-tip, keep your profile picture consistent from platform to platform. That way your online community will be able to recognize your social channel right away. The same goes for your username. If you can keep it the same across all platforms that make it easier to identify who it belongs to.

Show Your Face To Build The Know, Like, & Trust Factor

You have to show the people who might see your profile that you are a real person. While there are a ton of marketing tips to get more of your message in front of people, nothing is more powerful than actually showing up in person either using video or images. 

As more and more people use social media for business, your business needs to stand out. Showing your face on video/in a photo can set you apart from the crowd. There are a lot of different options now for video. You can go live, prerecorded long-form video or a short form (1 minute or less) video, also known as a Story, Fleet (Twitter), Short (YouTube), Reel (Instagram), Idea Pin (Pinterest), or TikTok video.

Use 30 #hashtags on Instagram

On Instagram, you can use up to 30 hashtags in one post. This will help you find your audience and the posts they are engaging with the most. Instagram is the social media platform for personal business, so use it to engage with your customers. Don’t forget to use hashtags on your Reels as well to help reach new potential clients. The possibilities are endless and the results can be huge.

Additionally, engage with the hashtags you use to get in front of and attract new people to your account and start building those relationships.

Engage With Your Online Community Daily

On social media, make it easy for your customers to talk to you. Respond to their comments in a timely manner. Pro-tip: respond with a question to keep the conversation going.

Many people are starting to use Messenger to communicate with businesses. If someone contacts you for a quote, respond right away. You want to be a source of value to people who do business with you.

Don’t forget to engage with their content as well. This goes a long way to building that know, like, and trust relationship. Bonus, their followers will start to see you as an engaging account and consider following you as well.

Humanize Your Brand

Humanize your brand through education, inspiration, and a few shenanigans along the way. The first thing to remember is that it is your brand. You want your social media to reflect your brand’s personality. 

People have favourite brands that are just like them. They like your brand because of the great content it provides. If you don’t have any special features that set you apart from the crowd, it’s a long way from connecting with customers. Share behind the scenes of your business, connecting your community to the life of your brand and the brand owner (if you have one). The personal touch can bring in a lot more sales.