Grow an Audience on Any Social Platform

One thing that’s confusing people starting to get into the social media game today is how they should go about building a following and why. The reason I say it confuses people is because business owners measure success through numbers-we all do. It’s human nature. Most individuals see that producing content on social is a waste of their time because they aren’t seeing their online audience grow at the pace they want-so they get impatient. Getting impatient can lead to becoming complacent, and they tend to ignore the online strategy altogether. Not having urgency within social media marketing is causing a lot of business owners to not value social as a legitimate source for customer acquisition and that’s a huge mistake.

Your social media marketing shouldn’t be concentrated on amassing a certain number of followers. The truth is that a follower count is purely for show-it’s a vanity piece that doesn’t validate one’s ability as a social media “expert” or marketer. I believe that first and foremost, engagement is the most important metric one could have when it comes to growing an audience on social media. However, when it comes to first building up a following to determine whether the marketplace even cares about what you have to advertise or sell, the most crucial piece of advice I can give is to have consistency in your strategy.

So much potential is there for your digital reach if you have the consistency of producing great content. I’m not even saying it has to be something that’s posted every single day, but once per month is better than nothing at all. Twice per week is better than once per week, and so on…do you understand where I’m going with this? Consistency is a controllable.

Whether it’s selling or marketing, if you’re trying to reach out and touch a consumer or build engagement, your message has to be consistent across all of the social platforms where you’re broadcasting your brand. Social media is a living, breathing advertising tool, and the details matter highly. For me personally, I like to have my profile blurb, or “about me” say the same thing whether you’re on my Twitter or Pinterest page. Consider it your elevator pitch as to why someone should care about connecting with you. The same principle needs to apply for a brand.

Go where your target audience is. If you’re a musician and serious about your craft, I’d be shocked to not find you on SoundCloud. Non-profits and small businesses need to have a Facebook and Yelp page. In my opinion, I don’t think there’s a social media site out there that’s NOT worth your time, but there may be some that shouldn’t be a focus within your overall advertising strategy. Big difference.

Aside from the consistency of published content, and finding where your potential customers and users are, it’s in your best interest to look into investing into social platforms that can net you clients. I have extensive experience from the consumer-side within online advertising, and it can bring an impact to your bottom line. I’ve used different methods of social media to achieve different end results. I’ve used it to sell, close, and engage my audience and grow “likes”, followers, or exposure through paid advertising. I’ve utilized online advertising for early user acquisition and social listening for mobile apps and businesses I’ve worked on, like Ufree. I believe there is an ROI to be had in investing in your social media strategy, you just have to execute on your due diligence and find those online platforms that best complement your marketing strategy and increase revenue.

I would appreciate your comments. If you liked what I had to say, please scroll down and click the “recommend” button. It would mean a lot to me.