How do you use social media tools to influence and persuade your audience?

Not identifying the audience is the basic & biggest mistake many brands (be it personal or corporate) make. In the past 2 years, I have worked with clients who: -Show up online for more than 5+ target audiences. -Know nothing about identifying the target audience. -Insists on not targeting down & be a global brand. No matter whether your business is local or global, identifying the target audience is crucial.

Every product or services are not designed for everyone equally We design it sometimes for a particular age, demographics and other factors. So even online when we showcase our products or services we should be targeting our right audience. Not all contents are curated for everyone. Not every promotion is suitable for everyone. So identifying your target audience and curating specifically for them is significant Always remember specific is terrific

Upon identifying your target audience, it's essential to segment it to effectively engage each segment. Develop distinct buyer personas to gain deeper insights into their perspectives. Conduct comprehensive research on keywords and hashtags to identify the words or phrases that strongly resonate with your audience. Analyze hashtags, asses the number of followers the hashtags attract (if applicable), and gain insights into the topics and discussions surrounding them.

When it comes to choosing channels, there is a very interesting trick/ method. It’s called the “GET SOCIAL” method. Here every letter in the word social is crucial in choosing which platform to choose, let’s dive in. S - Searchable O - Optimization C - Community I - Influence A - Audience L - Leadership It’s key to note that all platforms deliver differently and to a different audience so as a brand or creator, one needs to first understand their brand goals before choosing a specific platform.

Always research the latest statistics on user demographics when choosing what “the right” channels are for your audience. Trends change and just because your target audience didn’t use a particular platform in the past doesn’t mean that’s the case today or will be a year from now. Make sure you look up statistics for your geographic region or reach as well. For example, pretend that your target audience is age 65+ and in the USA. Don’t assume that, because that age group only comprises less than 3% of Instagram users globally, you shouldn’t use Instagram. In the USA, over 17% of Instagram users are 65 or older according to 2022 data. Timely research is crucial for success.

Think of each platform like a person.They have their own personalities, jobs, and interests, which require a deep understanding to effectively engage with diverse online communities. Just as you would tailor your communication style and content based on the individual you're interacting with, it's equally important to adapt your approach when engaging with different social media platforms. Each platform possesses its distinct communication style, and content preferences. Pinterest and Youtube helps with SEO. Facebook helps with local marketing and relationships. Instagram works well for e-commerce. Twitter for customer service. LinkedIn for authority building. TikTok influencer marketing. Snapchat for location-based marketing

One of the best ways to characterize your content 'value' is to treat engagement like currency, and your content like a product. Customers/Clients and followers will only 'spend' a certain amount every time they're active on social media, and what can you give to get them to buy? You wouldn't release a half-finished product and expect someone to spend full price, so why do you do it with content? Take the time to make something worthwhile, become a craftsperson, tailor it, make it the highest quality and ensure that the end user is getting something worth their investment with the end product. Value is discerned from the feeling they take away from seeing or experiencing your content, tie it to a feeling or emotion and you'll do great.

There is no substitute for valuable content. It's non-negotiable according to me. But don't chase perfection. It's only with time and experimentation you'll develop an understanding of what's valuable to your audience. Why experiment? It's for a simple reason. There is no room for assumption.

A valuable time saving tool when creating unique content is AI like ChatGPT. You can use it to speed up your research on what people are talking about, and find a unique perspective to share. That's what will engage people: something new. Don't fall into the temptation of rehashing the same trends that everyone is acting like they invented.

Emotional triggers are an excellent way to capture your audience’s attention but they should be used with ethical and long term considerations in mind. Research has shown that emotional triggers via social media can cover the entire spectrum of human emotions. Positive emotional triggers like joy and awe can make content go viral. So can anger and sadness. If you’re going to use negative emotions, it’s generally best to use them very sparingly to avoid triggering audience burnout or worse, a public backlash. Always remember that your content will be seen as a direct reflection of your brand. What are you selling? And remember that media ethics calls for connection, not manipulation.

When engaging, have a chat and conversation, don't just wade in with a 'great post' as this will get nothing of value in return. Start a conversation, encourage further discussion, rather than 'great post' say, "This is especially helpful for X because Y..." then add "thanks for sharing" at the end. Validate THEIR reason to engage with you, and your reason to engage with them. Just to remind you, it's not always YOUR audience you should engage with, recognise that there are others who may be further along in their career or higher up the ladder, and use their posts as a stepping point to prove your expertise. You can establish yourself much sooner by engaging with the audience you want rather than just the one you have.

Use “call to action” (CTA) sparingly and vary it. There is little use in urging your followers to engage quickly, when you intend to use the same CTA a month later. Be smart.

Ensure that your call to action (CTA) is designed to be convenient and effortless for your audience. People are generally reluctant to do additional tasks or anything that may require extra time on their part. Ideally, you want your audience to easily 'sign up,' 'register,' or 'buy.' If the process involves additional effort, it is more likely to be skipped or abandoned.

Using power words and attention-grabbing words like ' Free', 'Hurry, limited seats left', and 'Don't miss out!' , 'You can't miss this!' - help in creating a sense of urgency and I believe this is very important to ensure audience retention as well as lead generation.

If most of your content starts with "I" you're probably not going to go far, and if you're talking about yourself more than you're talking about what you're solving or saving? You're probably going to fall flat on your proverbial face. People want to know what you can do for THEM, rarely do they buy from someone saying "I'm wonderful because...". People are far more likely to buy from someone saying "You can be wonderful when you do this..." Demonstrate your expertise, and remember these three words... Show, don't tell.

Have a plan. Post it regularly. Address your ideal clients pain points. Leave room for curiosity. Use a call to action on an irregular interval.

Also, to generate ideas for your social media content you can try tools like Answer The Public. I have personally used it and found it extremely helpful.

AI is changing a lot of the rules. While it would take time to research audiences, understand triggers etc., it can probably be done much quicker using simple, free tools like ChatGPT. While it may not be a 100% accurate, but it is a very good starting prompt. Also, while creating content, these tools can save a lot of time. All one needs to do is too keep playing and keep refining the prompts, correct / add inputs if needed to make it more personal and capture the exact point one is trying to make and voila.

No matter which platform you choose, remember that video trumps just about everything. It can be short form or long form, but remember that it's the fastest way for people to consume what you present. Use video to help them picture what kind of lifestyle they would have with what you're offering.