8 Helpful Tips for Gaining Social Media Traction

With social media platforms and algorithms constantly changing, some business owners are finding it challenging to gain traction in the online world. They might not feel like they’re keeping up with best practices, or they’re simply not noticing any engagement with anything they post. If you believe more social media traction would take your business to the next level, take note of the following tips.

1. Use Video Content

Video content across many social media platforms is growing in popularity, which is why using the services of video production companies might be worthwhile. Video content allows you to rank higher in search results, increase traffic, grow revenue, and even influence people’s buying decisions.

Video content might even set you apart from your competition and engage users who may not have taken the time to find out what you have to offer. If you’re not skilled in creating videos, you can outsource this task to another business.

The type of video content you produce can depend on the kind of products or services you provide. You might create something that describes the benefits of a particular product or offer a real-life scenario for where your services would prove helpful. Most video production companies and marketing teams can help during the brainstorming process to develop some winning ideas.

2. Sign Up On Several Platforms

Being present on many platforms may improve your chances of engaging with more of your target audience. Fortunately, having more than one social media page doesn’t mean you have to spend more time taking care of them. You can take advantage of social media management software to manage posts and analytics from an external platform, all the while building your skills to know what’s working and what isn’t.

Among the most popular platforms for business owners are Facebook, where over 200 million businesses use their advertising tools, and YouTube, with over 2.24 billion users. You might even see the value in creating an Instagram business profile with third-party tools and an account on TikTok, one of the most visited platforms globally.

3. Results Take Time

Advertising on social media and simply being visible on these platforms can be frustrating. You might have thought you’d see results immediately, but instead, you’re only accruing a few followers at a time.

Even with a sound advertising strategy, excellent video content, and quality products and services, you’re not always going to be an overnight success. Building up a following of people who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer is an ongoing task, but it can be worth the time and frustration when you see social media users filtering through to your website and turning into valuable buyers.

4. Push Your Social Media At All Opportunities

You might assume that the only way to gain traction on your social media accounts is by posting regular content, but you can also take advantage of more traditional advertising avenues. If you use email marketing, radio, TV, newspaper, or any other form, make it known that you have social media accounts people can follow. If your audience isn’t aware you have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others, they can’t follow you.

5. Create Ads

Ad spending on social media platforms is growing year on year, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. The ease with which you can create ads and the manageable costs associated with them is a recipe for success.

Unlike more traditional advertising platforms like newspapers and radio, social media ads give you complete control. You can select your target market, choose your daily budget, and change your advertising goals at a moment’s notice.

This is good news for people who haven’t yet delved into the online marketing world. If you can safely and comfortably explore different ad types to suit various markets, you might feel more confident to create a variety of ads and find out what really works for you.

6. Hold Competitions

Consider holding online competitions when you have quality content, but your list of followers is not quite at the level you want. You can set an ad budget for your promotion, offer something for free, and request a like, follow, or share for entry into the competition.

While some followers might click the ‘unfollow’ button once the competition is over, you might be able to retain many you didn’t have before and keep them engaged with new content. Some social media experts view competitions as a way to gain a ‘fake’ following, but it can be a valuable strategy for many businesses just starting out. You can experience an immediate boost in followers when you need them the most, then prove your worth through your content.

7. Be Personal

When social media first became popular, most businesses were impersonal, formal, and professional. While this is important for providing excellent customer service, social media platforms can be a little more relaxed than other more traditional advertising mediums like newspapers.

If you feel comfortable, share photos and information about the people behind the business account, and don’t be afraid to upload the occasional non-business-related image or post to show your following that real people run your business.

8. Set Realistic Budgets

While social media platforms are among the most cost-effective advertising mediums, they still do require a reasonable budget when you’re trying to expand your reach as far as possible.

Many well-established businesses will spend between $200 and $800 on Facebook advertising per month, while the cost per click on Instagram ads can be up to a dollar. You may spend far less than you would on radio, TV, and newspaper advertising, but you should still budget several hundred dollars for a campaign that you hope will reach your goal audience and create new customers.

Gaining traction on social media can sometimes be challenging, especially as everyday consumers have so many choices for how they spend their time on the internet. However, by trying some of these tips above, you might be in an excellent position to increase engagement and drive your online brand forward.