Choose Wisely
There seem to be more social media networks popping up on an almost daily basis. Even just maintaining a useful presence on the most popular ones can lead you down a rabbit hole, and you have a business to run. For the best use of your time, stick with the ones where most of your client base can be found.
How do you find them? Just search for companies similar to yours, in order to find out how much traffic and what kind of following they are getting on the various networks available. Keep in mind that any type of visual industry, such as photography, art, graphic design, etc., will almost certainly want to be on Instagram and Pinterest.
Be Consistent
Use the same logo or profile photo on each platform. You want to be immediately recognizable across all of your accounts.
Post regularly, at least a few times a week. If it makes it any easier for you, there are programs like Hootsuite that allow you to schedule posts in advance, so you don’t have to keep stopping to interrupt your day.
Be Interactive
Follow the big names in your niche and others in your field. Social media can be an excellent place to network.
Leave comments when it feels natural. Become part of the community and others will start to recognize you, and hopefully start following you.
Be Helpful
Social media is all about forming relationships with your customers. A good relationship fosters loyalty, so you want to be of service to your followers. This is NOT the platform for a hard sell, such as you’d find in TV commercials.
In fact, you should have at least a sprinkling of posts that don’t even mention your product or service. Photographers, for instance, could post regularly about news on cameras or lenses. Limiting posts related to selling and providing useful information instead reminds followers that you can help fill a need over and above the possibility of a great purchase.
Be Visual
According to ROI Research, users are 44% more likely to engage with content that includes a visual element than one that consists solely of text. This is particularly important for those in visual industries like photography, art, or graphic design.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel by taking every photo or creating every graphic yourself. You can use templates for graphics and find free photos online. Just be sure they have the right license.
Websites like Pixabay offer photos that are free to use even for commercial purposes, and there are several others that do the same. You may also find our guide on how to add images to your templates useful.
Using social media for your business doesn’t have to, and shouldn’t, take up a great deal of time. Doing so effectively, however, can have a significant positive impact on the growth of your business. Use these tips and have a little fun with them, and we’re sure you’ll watch your social media following expand in no time!