To most people, the idea of using social media to attract customers seems pretty simple. All you have to do is post, wait, and the customers will come pouring in, right? Not exactly. There’s actually a lot that has to be kept in mind when planning out your social media strategy. Things like content type, engagement, timing, and post topics all influence whether your strategy will generate new customers or not.
While it might start to sound like social media marketing is more trouble than it’s worth, it really isn’t – especially considering the benefits that it can bring to a business. However, like many other things, a successful social media strategy needs a solid plan, an open mind, and a deep understanding of your audience’s desires and needs.
Here are four things worth bearing in mind when trying to attract customers using social media:
Understand your audience
The first step in attracting customers through social media is to learn about the audience you’re targeting. Learn things like their interests, their likes, their dislikes, what part of the country they’re from, and what other sites they visit. Understanding your audience is crucial to developing a social media and content strategy that connects with potential customers and builds trust – as opposed to posting boring and generic content all the time.
Remember that it’s not all about you
Speaking of connecting with your audience, keep in mind that not every post has to be a promotional one. While a few promotional posts and gentle calls to action here and there are certainly an important and necessary part of any social media strategy, don’t forget to turn the spotlight onto your audience every so often too. This could be something as simple as hosting a giveaway or asking them to share their experiences with your products or services. In other words, show them that you care.
Keep the conversation going
The content you post should be something that your audience will want to talk about. One of the main benefits of social media is its ability to engage audiences which, in turn, causes them to associate their positive experiences with your business. Social media shouldn’t be looked at as merely a place to advertise and sell your products or services, rather it should be used as a medium through which you can connect with your audience and tell your brand’s story. Keep active and stay up to date with the relevant online communities to widen your reach and get people talking about your brand.
Time your posts carefully
One of the biggest mistakes many businesses make on social media is that they’re so excited that they overload their audiences with content. This not only triggers social media platform algorithms to limit the number of posts your audience sees but can also overwhelm your audience and cause them to stop following your page. Stick to a maximum of 1-2 posts per day and schedule them for the times of the day when your audience is most active.
Get in touch with The Three Marketers today to find out more about attracting customers using social media and learn how working with us can help take your business to new heights.
