Engagement gets tougher as there’s just so much content on every social platform that it would be a full-time job to try and keep up with it all. People flick and scroll too quickly to stop and like, share or comment.
That doesn’t mean that they’re not reading your posts – but they have to have some value for them to bother to check what the latest message is about.
The ideal situation for social media is to build a tribe of people who are potential customers and then give them something they really love. That is not usually:
- A testimonial from another customer – although that may be reassuring
- A promotion of whatever you do or sell – they don’t care, unless it’s exactly what they’re looking for right now
- A biography of a member of your team, unless they already know them or, at least, have dealt with them at some point
- You or someone in your organisation talking to the camera about your business
- An infographic that tells them how many widgets you’ve sold this month.
So, that’s a bunch of options kicked out of the ball park. What’s left?
- Tips
- Useful advice
- Knowledge based articles or links to blog items with valuable content
- Your opinion on something relevant
- Sharing your knowledge on your area of expertise direct to camera
- A how to video or infographic
- Curated content from other people that’s allied to your specialism and is interesting or entertaining
- Cute cats! (just kidding unless you’re selling pet food or toys)
There are other things that engage people, but you need to know your potential customers really well to work out what they’re looking for.
One of my clients says he gets lots of engagement and likes when he includes his dogs in the photo he posts on his social media, but usually from people he already knows and not people who fit his customer profile.
What would impress a potential customer?
What would help them?
What would get them to come back for more?
