5 steps to growing your company’s social media following

Social media is an important part of your brand’s marketing strategy and establishing a presence on different social media platforms is key to winning in the digital world.

People look at social media numbers, whether you like it or not. They’ll want to know how many people follow you (brownie points if their friends also follow you), and how many people like and share your posts.

If you have “a sufficient number” of followers and if you share useful things, people who’ve only recently learned about your brand will trust it almost instantly and buy what you’re selling. If you don’t, you’re probably going to have to work hard to win their trust and their business.

Here are five tips from TechHQ for those looking to grow their following on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Make sure your profile is complete and reflects your brand

This is perhaps the most important thing. If you don’t have a social media profile that is complete in all respects, has your logo neatly placed, has the right contact information, and mentions how you’d like customers to get in touch, it’s not going to take you anywhere.

In fact, it’s going to turn away potential customers. Don’t believe me? Just imagine how you would feel if you were looking for a bakery or a customized tee-shirt maker and were referred to a profile that wasn’t decently put together.

At the very least, make sure your brand’s name is correctly spelled out, that your contact details are correct, and that you have all the right information when it comes to explaining what you do and what you offer.

Be active and engaged, post and respond frequently

Make sure your profile is active and that you engage with people who visit your profile and write to you or comment on your posts.

For best results, make sure you respond to comments and personal messages within a few hours, if not instantly.

The reason this is important is because your competitors are also on the same platforms. Failing to receive a response from you will get them to make inquiries elsewhere and cause you to lose potential business.

On the other hand, if you respond on time, write back when they ask a question about your product or pay you a compliment, and they’ll become a fan – in fact, they’ll follow you and become part of your community.

News, opinions, data, and trends help engage your community

"I do think part of the creative process is just deluding yourself… you have to believe that this thing that’s really hard to do is going to happen." —filmmaker and Kickstarter creator @AndrewAhnFilms https://t.co/sZQdHnVwjo

— Kickstarter (@kickstarter) April 15, 2018

Just posting pictures and information about your business and its products and services is one way of handling your social media accounts – but to maximize engagement, you might want to go the extra mile.

Review the news and share what’s relevant to your business and yet interesting for your audiences. Share commentary or insights on current events related to your products and services. Take the opportunity to explain how your products or services could make things better for people in a certain situation highlighted in trends or analysis stories in newspapers, magazines, or blogs.

Come out and speak to your audience and they’ll speak to you and build the engagement that you’ve been seeking. Their comments will also reel in their friends on social media who (might) have the same interests and therefore, could be valuable and relevant followers for you.

Get seen at interviews, seminars, conferences, and other events

When people see you at an event, they’ll follow you on social media – especially if you’ve been able to make an impact on them with your words or your work.

Look at the people you follow. It’s likely that you would have met some of them at an event and follow them on social media because you liked what they had to say.

What’s interesting is, when people follow you after having engaged with you at an event, they’re more likely to buy into your ideas and therefore your products and services – which means, you’ll be able to build a stronger and more loyal community on social media.

Inspire your followers and partner with some influencers

When your customers speak of you, or they share some appreciation for your products online, tag them and share their posts.

They not only serve as testimonials for your brand but also help you get the traction needed to grow your following exponentially.

You could also find and work with relevant influencers who could review your products and services and recommend you to their audience. Working with influencers is sometimes a little expensive but carving out a budget for them could help you quickly develop your following on social media platforms.