5 Tips For Getting More Organic Social Media Engagement
organic social media engagement: getting “likes”, shares, and follows without having to pay for an ad
Are you a local business trying to get noticed on social media? Are your posts not getting many likes? Are you struggling to get followers? You are not alone!
I have spoken to many small business owners who are facing the same challenges and I have experienced them as well. I have been managing CopyCat since 2015, and I understand the time management struggle to not only run a business but also make time to market it.
Many local businesses have online competitors. Local consumers (our community) are constantly bombarded with digital content appealing to them for business. When browsing social media, ads for these larger companies tend to pop up. If you are the owner or manager of a local business, you know the impact it makes to choose community over competition. Keeping work and jobs local is better business for everyone. So how does it affect your business if you have little to no online presence?
Having an online presence adds a sense of legitimacy to your business. Organic social media reach is free advertising. If you can build a dedicated audience of followers, then you continue to build brand loyalty at a much lower cost than other forms of advertising, such as TV, radio, or print.
So how do you get started? It can feel overwhelming to start up a social media account. Or maybe if you are trying to grow a current account but you are struggling to connect with followers to get engagement. This is why I want to share some tips and tricks with you for getting more “likes” on posts and and getting the most effective, organic post reach!
1.) Follow and comment on other pages
The easiest (and most flattering) route to make an impression on others is to engage with their posts. By “liking” and commenting, you are helping build that page’s brand awareness while simultaneously promoting your own. It is a friendly way to present yourself, and possibly gain followers! Who doesn’t like it when their posts get attention?
2.) Produce relevant or valuable content
Make sure your posts are interesting to your target audience! Try to think more about what they want to see, rather than what you want them to see. Over digital media, it is very important that your posts are visually appealing or interesting so you keep your audience engaged. For inspiration, see what others in your field are doing OR try to think about why you follow and like the brands you do. What are they doing that is working? How can you make that your own?
3.) Host a contest or event
If you promote a giveaway to raise your brand awareness on social media, make sure to ask for a post like and share to get some momentum in your campaign!
Ex. Northampton Movie Theatre is giving away two free tickets! Make sure to like our page, like this post and tag the friend you want to bring in order to enter!
The cost of a giveaway may yield greater results while keeping a low budget in comparison to a paid ad. Keep the instructions simple and make sure to ask for a share so that you can reach a greater audience.
4.) Use #hashtags
Take some time to experiment with different hashtags. Hashtags act as a “topic” that people search for, rather than a user account. Try to use both popular/broad hashtags (ex. #design) as well as specific hashtags (ex. #golfcourselogodesign) for best results. While popular/broad hashtags are most searched for, they are frequently used, meaning that hashtag will soon be buried in the search results. Sprinkling in specific hashtags will help your post stand out in search results for those seeking its content.
Instagram – you can have up to 30 hashtags, but it is reported that about 11 will yield the best results (due to algorithms that filter out spam).
Facebook – use 2 to 4 hashtags
LinkedIn – 5 hashtags
(Recommendations based on a quick Google search, but social media platforms are constantly updating their algorithms; use what works best for you and pay attention to what gets the best results!)
5.) Be consistent
Even if you are not immediately getting the social engagement you are looking for, don’t give up. It takes time and, more importantly, consistency. Ideally, you should try to post 3-5 times a week. Do I post that often? No, I don’t have the time but I do try to post as much as I can. Additionally, I suggest actively posting “Stories” because they don’t have to be as neatly curated as your feed. After all, they disappear after 24 hours! Keep testing out different things until you start to find a strategy that works for you and your business.
Questions? Contact the writer, Amanda, anytime. Marketing is what we do. We want to help your business grow.
CopyCat Northampton | copycatink.com