How to increase a social media following for a business
Earlier this year, my sister started up her first business in event decorating. While this news was expected, considering her perfectionist personality and impressive business degree, it was exciting for a long-held dream to turn into a real tangible thing. Elegant Beholdings went live on Instagram around the time I had completed The Fundamentals of Digital Marketing course, and with my newly acquired knowledge I quickly began to notice some ways that I could help improve her social media strategy. So, over dinner I offered a proposal to her. I explained that as her younger sister I want nothing more than to see her business thrive, and I offered to volunteer my time and skills to assist in managing her instagram account. Unbelievably, she turned me down… Just kidding.
“It is quality rather than quantity that matters.”
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Before I fill you in on some of the improvements made, I believe it’s important to preface that while increasing your follower count is something every social media business should strive towards, followers cannot guarantee an increase in customers nor does it promise a successful online business. If your followers aren’t engaging with your content or not purchasing your goods or service, then your follower count will only help you appear to be a thriving business. While social media users can get stuck on the importance of a follower count, I’ll remind you the real importance is placed on the usefulness of said followers. Quality over quantity! It’s also good to recognise that the numbers of views and engagements are perhaps more important indicators of a successful content strategy – content being predominantly what social media users care most about. In this article, we will be looking at how to optimise your social media, increase engagement and how to make the most of your audience – no matter the size.
With all that said, let’s get right into it.
Important information should be easily accessible
One of the first things I observed as an opportunity to optimise EB’s account, was when a user left a comment asking which locations the business provided for. It was evident that key information was not immediately accessible to those visiting the page for the first time. To rectify this, we curated infographics on Canva of frequently asked questions and posted it to the feed as a carousel – pinning it to the top of the page.
Use analytics to post content strategically
Instagram has a handy tool called Insights, which allows you to analyse data such as content performance, account reach and user engagement. Insights can be an integral part of your content strategy because it enables you to do things such as schedule posts for dates/times your followers are most active. This is a great way to ensure your business has it’s best chance at being visible; by working with the algorithm!
Get the most out of your bio
Linktree is one of many ways to get around the limit of one website link per social media profile. By setting up a personalised Linktree, you can have one place for all your important websites. As you can see here, Elegant Beholdings has a number of upcoming wedding fairs which require tickets to attend. EB needed each of these in their bio and Linktree made it possible to add all of them. I also included all other relevant sites; EB’s reviews on Guides for Brides, the EB website and all upcoming event tickets in order of date. I edited the icons, inserted the logo and added their social media and email too, while keeping everything aligned to their colour theme. Cohesive branding and satisfying functionality.
A personable touch can connect you with your audience
People are more inclined to support a business when there is a face to it.
If you deem it appropriate for your business, it’s a wonderful idea for you to introduce yourself to your followers and even consider doing this periodically after gaining newcomers! You can add a personable touch with your messaging, brand voice and by sharing something about yourself with your audience. By doing this you’re connecting with them on a human level and building valuable trust. Below is an example of how I used a photo I took of my sister on her 30th birthday and turned it into personable content for EB:
Utilise every feature with intentionality
Referencing back to the image above, take notice of how many features I’ve utilised. In the caption I’ve written a personable message which humbly boasts the success of the business while informing readers of a variety of events EB can provide services for. Sharing a face to the brand while expressing gratitude for supportive followers creates a feeling of community, shared success and mutual appreciation. I’ve also promoted an Elegant Beholdings product, both in the caption and in the image. You’ll also notice a location tag and relevant hashtags. PSA: You won’t benefit from overwhelming your post with 30 irrelevant hashtags. Be intentional; keep them specific and relevant to your business.