Don't Be That Person on Social Media

Social Media is amazing

Social media is (or should be) a HUGE player in any business' marketing arsenal today. It is only expected to keep growing. Consistent posting in the channel where your ideal customer is can expand the loyalty of current customers, and allow for impressive new customer acquisition at a very low cost.

What type of poster are you?

Are you posting things that your customers want to see? Do you post any personal (but not too controversial unless that's part of your demographic) photos? People like to see that. They love to see the people behind the brands they love. They want to know you care and if they never see actual people they can't know that.

Do you schedule your posts and then never return? Do you acknowledge the comments? Do you interact on your social channels?

What works and what doesn't?

Interaction works. We all know about algorithms, right? If you have people commenting and liking, more people see your posts. If you never comment back, showing people you appreciate them, people stop commenting and liking and your audience goes down, down, down...

I have several regular posters I follow. I love when they respond. I had someone on twitter give me a shout out for commenting. I felt like a giddy fan-girl - they noticed me! I had someone on LinkedIn thank me, and you know what I did? SHARED their articles to several places and I keep going back to their profile and checking out and SHARING new posts.

Ignoring your readers doesn't work. I'm sure we all have accounts we follow. We do that because they produce pretty good content. We feel like we are getting value by reading what they post. The thing about the internet (and life in general) is that nothing is new under the sun. You can find what they are saying from others, and if they never respond, you may move on to those who make you feel appreciated.

Honestly, I have a few on LinkedIn that I will search out the source of their posts and share that rather than their posts because they never interact. I have one that posts regularly about interacting with readers and NEVER does...it makes me laugh at how ironic it is. But it also makes it so I won't like their articles anymore and they rarely show up on my feed now.

How to improve your social media interactions

Make sure you are showing your readers you appreciate them. Comment. Go like their stuff. Send them a thank you for liking and/or connecting. Let them know you are human. If it takes too much time hire a social media manager to do it for you.

What can better social media interactions do for you and your business?

If you make your readers happy they are more likely to share your posts. When they share your posts, the people who are their friends and/or trust them are more likely to follow you. As your audience grows, your business grows.

You know why people mention names in Facebook Live videos - because people like being acknowledged. They want to feel important. And valuable. And frankly, that is YOUR goal because an audience that feels important grows and growth leads to increased sales.

Start using social media the right way. Don't post and never return. Go in, interact, be there...be the human behind the brand. That is who people want to support. I promise - it will be worth it.