We all want to be awesome at our jobs. And when it comes to social media marketing, there are lots of things we can do to improve our game. What do we do when we want to be the best? Why, we learn from the best. Luckily for us, there are some brilliant minds in the world of social media marketing that are doing higher-level things that can be best practices for us as we built our SMM toolbox. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
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Build Real Relationships
Most people on social media don’t think that a business’s social accounts are operating by some omniscient “man behind the curtain.” They know that a person is responsible for posts and updates, and they usually respond a lot better when they know who that person is. If possible, reach out via private message to see if you can set up a call or Skype conversation to really drive the relationship to the next level.
Never Forgot The Visuals
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Social posts that contain visuals are consumed, noticed, liked and shared more than posts that don’t. It’s important not only to make sure you have great visuals, but it’s best to make sure the visuals all have something in common. Whether or not you like it, every visual you share is connected to your brand. When you provide a cohesive visual experience for your social users across social media platforms, they recognize you. That’s a good thing.
Learn Facebook Ads
Facebook makes it pretty easy to boost a post, but when you really learn Facebook Ads, you’re not only learning how to reach millions of potential customers, you’re learning a skill that makes you desirable as a freelancer or agency. This goes beyond using the automated optimization Facebook Ads offers. This involves digging down deep to look beyond the cost of an ad, and into the value of an ad. That’s why an intimate knowledge of Facebook’s Power Editor is crucial to being the best.
Don’t Automate Too Much
We’re all for working smarter, not harder. The right automation tools can take the tedium out of social media marketing and leave you time to do the awesome and fun stuff. BUT, lots of SMMs automate up and completely check out. They schedule a bunch of curated content, set it and forget it, and don’t take the time to engage their audience. Big, big no-no. Just posting isn’t enough. Varying your content type, incorporating timely news hacks and events – these things are what bring you the most traffic. Don’t check out. Be present.
Master the Art of the CTA
If you want conversions from your social posts, you have to have a call-to-action. But, just because you put one in a post doesn’t mean it’s going to work. There’s an art to creating a CTA that someone will click. And, I’m not going to lie to you. It involves some A/B testing and a dash of learning from your mistakes. People are used to CTAs. They see them everywhere. And, because of that, they’re infinitely able to tune them out. That’s why, the most important thing you can do is make it clear to them what they’ll get if they do what you ask them to. Yep. It may be that simple. Ask them to do something, and be crystal clear about what they’ll get if they do it. Provided the thing they get is something they want, you’ve got it.
Create Copy That Converts
This goes back to our last point, of course. You have to write a CTA that makes people want to click. But, as every good social media marketer knows, ALL the copy you write has to be great. Again, each social media post is a representation of your brand. If the copy is bad, or even mediocre, it makes the brand look bad. In addition to making sure your copy is GOOD, it has to follow certain rules. Different social networks have different character limits, so you have to stick to those. You need to think about what your audience wants to read and write brand-friendly, audience-friendly copy that is consistent and interesting. It’s not for everybody. You have to work at it.
Use Hashtags
Hashtags started out on Twitter. They were a good way to get more followers and let more people see your tweets. That’s still true. But then, Facebook users started using hashtags. They were a little less…strategic than Twitter users. Hashtags became the punchline of many a social user’s joke. But now, hashtags are a real thing on every social network. They unite conversations and make posts more searchable. The trick is to use them sparingly, strategically, and in ways that make your social posts more noticeable.
Don’t Avoid Remarketing
So your Facebook Ad tanked. It’s not the end of the world. This is why. If you targeted a certain group of people, they saw your ad. Even if they didn’t click on it, if you target them again, they’ll remember your name and logo, and they may click again. If you get your brand in front of people often enough, they will remember you. If you get the same product in front of them enough, they very well may buy it.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Events and Holidays
We can’t say it enough. Events, holidays, trends and news hacks are contextual. People can relate to them. They are timely and relevant, and they’re the posts that are most likely to go viral. But, researching all that can be extremely time consuming. That’s why, of course, you need a content calendar, and PromoRepublic’s is chock full of ideas for every day of the year. You’ll never be wanting for post ideas. You can always check it out for free.
Publish Content on LinkedIn
LinkedIn isn’t just a recruiting site anymore. Many people see it as “business social media.” This is a great opportunity to develop your thought leadership by sharing your content on another channel. Since LinkedIn is made up a large group of professionals, you can grow your network considerably by posting smart, valuable content every week or so. Don’t post too often, or people will unfollow you. Post just often enough, and your company and your own profile will be a go-to place for professionals in your field.
Ban Words on Facebook to Reduce Trolling
You want social users to feel free to comment on and like your posts. However, there are a lot of people out there who live to post negative things on Facebook. Because of this, you can block words as a content moderator. Just click settings>general>page moderation and type the words that you don’t want users to post. Separate them by commas. Don’t forget to add the plural versions of the words. Save the changes and you’re done!
These are just a few of the tactics that professional social media marketers use to get the best conversions out of the efforts. PromoRepublic can help. Sign up for a free trial today!
Alla Bogdan is a Digital marketer and content creator who loves technology, self-education and new opportunities. Biblio and linguaphile.