Fact: Your business needs a social media presence.

In a global market that is slowly, but surely, shifting to digital, social media has become almost a necessity for businesses looking to increase brand awareness, boost sales, and overall connect with their customers better. 

Image Source: Smart Insights

With 3.8 billion social media users around the world (and 99 percent of those via mobile), getting on the social media bandwagon is an important part of business growth and exposure, which our digital marketing agency can help you do best. 

But we know it isn’t always easy allocating separate funds for social media marketing, especially if you’re a SME (small to medium enterprise) or entrepreneurial enterprise. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great social media strategy to connect with your audience. In this post, we’ve highlighted some of the ways you can grow your social media without the initial access to monetary funds.

Engage, Engage, Engage. 

People like being acknowledged. More than just liking someone’s comment on your posts, take the time out to respond to them, even if it’s just in a line or two. This allows your followers to feel a sense of connection to you, so when you hold contests and product launches, they’re more likely to act on your recommendations and requests in what we know as the Reciprocity Effect. 

Build Relationships.

Social media is like a relationship. You can choose to connect with your audience on a personal level or keep them at a distance. This means giving them what they need, not spamming them. When you ask questions, follow up, hold conversations, keep a dialogue open and create a safe space for your followers to discuss what they love – and want improved – in your brand. Staying authentic, original, and sharing stories is important here.

Run Contests.

Social media platforms are designed for interaction, and the best way to do that is through contests. Not only do they boost engagement, but contests can even help you get insights into what your target demographic’s interests are. We suggest creative photo contests, tag-your-friends, inspiring videos, holiday contests, etc. to keep contests easy-to-understand and efficient. The more you ask your audience to do, the fewer will do it, but our article on social contests you can run today might help get your creative juices flowing.

Don’t Focus on the Numbers.

We know this is easier said than done. It’s human to look at the number of likes, followers, visits, etc. you have – but more than numbers, look at their growth. How many people participated in the contest you held last week? Was it better than the one you held two months ago? 

Look at how your followers are engaging with your content; it’s always better to have 200 engaged followers than 2000 disinterested ones.

Give Away Free Things.

We all love free stuff.

To boost engagement, host a giveaway. It can be free e-books, a sample product/service, consultations, courses, etc. Be a guest on a podcast. Social media posts for free giveaways get a lot of shares, especially if they appeal to your audience. This gives your brand exposure and reach that you might not otherwise receive. 

Your social media strategy depends on your brand, campaigns you run, and how you implement that game plan. If you want to build a social media presence without the PPCs and promotions, you can do it – and you can succeed. 

Tribe of Brands can help you stay on top of trends to effectively navigate the complex waters of the internet. Our marketing agency can help you with further ideas on how to design world-class websites, seamless user journeys, and digital marketing campaigns.