How to gain more followers on social media

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15/06/2017

It’s a pretty simple equation – the more followers you have on social media, the more potential customers you can reach. Once you’ve got your social media profiles set up and you’re interacting with people, one of your main goals should be to find more like them.

So part of your social media strategy should be geared towards earning more followers. These are people who’ll like your posts on Facebook, share your YouTube videos, and retweet your Twitter contributions. The more people you can get doing that, the greater reach you’ll have and the more you can boost awareness of your business.

Tried and true techniques

It depends on what social media platforms you’re using, but there are some techniques that tend to work globally, such as:

• Be where your customers are – do some research on your customers and find out where they spend most of their social media time. Facebook has over 1 billion users, and Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest are also hugely popular. Focus your efforts on the networks where your target buyers are spending most time.
• Optimise your social media profiles – have your business logo clearly displayed on the profile, with links back to your business website. Make sure the images you include are clear and not too small, and keep the profiles regularly updated.
• Promote your social presence – make sure the social media icons on your website are easily visible. Plus, if you’re using more than one social media platform, make use of cross-promotion across them. And of course, encourage others to reference your Facebook page or Twitter feed when they’re talking about you.
• Make sure you’re uploading useful, valuable content – avoid product-focused content, instead aim for educational content that people will find helpful. When in doubt, use the 80/20 rule – 80% of the content you post to social media should add value for your audience, and 20% can be self-promotional.

Remember to be yourself. Your brand has a personality and social media is the perfect place to show it. The posts you share should tell the world:

• What you stand for
• What's unique about your business
• What’s different about the way you do business

Be genuine, be entertaining, and be helpful. Ask questions and take the time to interact with others. People will remember you for the way you engage with them, even if it's a brief comment, a shared link, or a different take on a trending event.

As much as possible, encourage your social media followers to tell others about you. The more you can get your Facebook page or Twitter feed mentioned in other social media platforms, the more followers you’ll gain and the more your customer base will increase. More than anything else, social media relies on word-of-mouth, so encourage as many referrals as you can.

Advice and resources

• The Social Media Examiner has an article on how to increase your social media following by over 700%.