8 Essential Tips to Boost Your SOCIAL MEDIA Presence

It took me a long time to embrace social media for my business. I watched other designers constantly posting and I was intimidated so I kept putting it off. That was a big mistake because social media is a great place for new brands to find customers without spending an arm and a leg.

Starting your social media channel is going to feel really awkward at first. You’re first posts aren’t going to be groundbreaking and years later you’ll probably look back on them with a lot of embarrassment. But like anything with building a business, it’s really just about getting started and learning as you go. The successes will come, and so will the leads (eventually).

We started working with Stand Up Indiana on social media about six months ago. Getting those first 100-200 followers was tough. But we recently hit 2000 followers, and let me tell you that followers happen a lot quicker than they did when we first launched. 

Building a successful social media presence is a journey that requires strategy, creativity, and persistence. To help you navigate this landscape effectively, I've compiled eight essential tips that will guide you through the process of creating engaging content, growing your audience, and making a real impact online.

1. Embrace Consistency

The foundation of any successful social media strategy is consistency. Aim to post at least four times a week. While it might be challenging at first, especially when interaction and follower growth are slow, it’s crucial to keep at it. Consistent posting helps build trust and keeps your brand top-of-mind for potential followers. Even if you don’t get likes right away, don’t be discouraged. Use each post as a learning experience and keep moving forward.

SEO Tip: Incorporate relevant keywords and hashtags in your posts to enhance visibility and reach.

2. Diversify Your Platforms

To maximize your reach, don’t limit yourself to just one social media platform. Using at least two channels will allow you to connect with different segments of your audience. Research where your target audience is most active and tailor your content to those platforms. This approach helps ensure you’re engaging with a broader audience and not missing out on potential followers.

SEO Tip: Optimize your profiles with consistent branding and keywords relevant to your industry on each platform.

3. Develop a Strategic Plan

Creating a social media plan can streamline your efforts and keep you on track. For instance, you might schedule your content like this:

• Monday: Share motivating quotes

• Tuesday & Thursday: Showcase your projects

• Wednesday: Offer advice and resources related to branding, design, etc.

• Friday: Post a casual picture or update

A structured schedule not only keeps your content varied but also helps you maintain consistency. You also should do your research on your industry to figure out the best times and days to post on social media. Every industry is different, but with some research mixed with trial and error, you can find out the secret sauce to reaching your target audience.

Tip: Use a content calendar tool to plan and track your posts, adjusting based on performance insights.

Scheduling out your social media posts can save you a lot of time. Plus you can plan out the best time to post based on your target audience. 

4. Engage Actively with Your Community

Engagement goes beyond responding to comments on your own posts. Actively comment on and interact with other people’s content. This not only shows that you’re supportive but also helps build a community around your brand. Genuine interactions with others can significantly boost your visibility and foster stronger connections.

Tip: Reach out to followers with personalized messages (note: not sales messages) to welcome them to your page and tell them more about yourself.

5. Embrace Authenticity

Authenticity is key to connecting with your audience. Share aspects of your personal life and experiences. People want to relate to the individuals behind the posts, not just see polished, professional content. Instead of mimicking successful posts from others, focus on sharing your unique perspective and experiences. This will make your content more relatable and engaging.

Tip: Use personal stories and experiences in your captions to create a deeper connection with your audience, and incorporate keywords for better reach.

6. Prioritize Content Variety

Avoid posting the same type of content every week. Vary your content to keep your audience engaged. Follow the 80/20 rule: 80% of your content should cater to your audience’s interests, while 20% can be about you. This approach keeps your content fresh and relevant.

Tip: Experiment with different content formats like infographics, videos, and blog links to see what resonates best with your audience.

7. Focus on Campaigns

One-off posts about your products or services are unlikely to yield significant results. Instead, think in terms of campaigns. Reiterate your core messages through various formats and angles to capture your audience's attention. By building out campaigns with multiple posts, you can effectively attract and engage your target audience.

Tip: Use campaign-specific keywords and hashtags to unify your message across posts and improve search visibility.

8. Accept Imperfection

Sometimes, the most visually appealing posts don’t perform as well as you’d expect. Often, posts that feel more authentic and less polished get more engagement. Embrace the idea that not every post needs to be perfect. Live photos, selfies, and candid moments can sometimes outperform perfectly designed graphics.

Tip: Optimize all your posts with alt text and descriptions to enhance accessibility and search engine rankings.

This reel for Seaward Collective was posted pretty quickly and without much thought. It ended up getting 18K views in less than 24 hours. Don't think too much about your social media posts, just find interesting moments to share with your audience. 

Final Thoughts

Remember, social media success is a journey of continuous learning and adaptation. Be sure to set goals and review analytics often. You can learn from both the posts that get the least interactions, and the posts that get the most interactions.

Navigating the social media landscape requires a blend of strategy, creativity, and authenticity. By consistently posting, diversifying your platforms, developing a strategic plan, engaging with your community, embracing authenticity, varying your content, focusing on campaigns, and accepting imperfection, you'll be well-equipped to build a strong social media presence.

Keep experimenting, stay true to yourself, and watch your social media presence grow.

Need help building your social media posts? We can help with that. Get in touch with us today to learn how we can support your brand on socials.