Increase Your Engagement on Facebook and Twitter (tips and tricks)

You have now entered into the world of Social Media, and more than likely it was because a person or many people told you that it would be a good way to sell yourself or your business. They were not wrong. Right now, social media marketing is utilized by 73% of small businesses today, and that number is rising at a rapid rate. Why? Social media is the new best way to connect with more people. Facebook currently has around 901 million active users, and Twitter has 100 million, and these sites are free to join. However, joining the Social Media Marketing revolution is only the first step. Once you’re in, you have to start engaging an audience.

There are a million sites that boast a million different ways to increase your engagement with your consumer base on Facebook and Twitter. The basics of such a task include getting your posts liked, commented on, shared (on Facebook), and getting favorited or retweeted (on Twitter). Seems simple, but it may not be as simple as you think. There are ways of getting it done. Here are some basic tips and tricks for connecting with a consumer base and letting it grow organically as you engage the social network.

First thing is first on Facebook: you have to make friends. In order to do this, you have make yourself attractive to the people you want to connect with, the people at whom you are aiming your marketing strategy. It all comes down to content. You can’t expect people to get and remain interested in what you are selling if all you do is post text updates on your Facebook page. You can boost interest in your page and product by simply posting videos and pictures to your page. Make sure the content you post is, first of all, within the context of what you are selling and, possibly more importantly, interesting. Humor is one of social media’s biggest draws these days. Try creating a meme about the services you provide. You can make your own meme online through free meme generators. Meme’s are fun and tend to go viral very quickly, and you want your content to become viral.

Also, on Facebook, as well as on Twitter, you have to remember your followers and friends. One of the reasons so many people use social media is that it creates a feeling of community. People feel like they are being heard and that what they say is important when they make posts to these pages. Therefore, in order to add to the general well being of your followers and friends, pay attention to what they are posting. Respond to everyone that posts on your wall. Share the information they are sharing if you feel it is along the lines of your marketing goals. If you are having a hard time figuring out what kinds of content your followers find interesting, you are in luck. All you have to do is ask them. Make a post that asks specifically what your followers want to see and share. They will answer.

The rules are somewhat the same when you’re working with Twitter, although some of the language is different. When adding to your fan base on Twitter, you want to start with people you already know. People you know will probably like you, and will be more likely to like and retweet your content. You also want to follow locals, others in your industry, and those in your target audience. Once you’ve done this, and you still need more people to follow you, you can always send them a direct message asking them personally to add you. Include followers on Fridays when you post a “follow Friday” tweet. These tweets begin with this: #FF and are followed by the tags of people you follow that you find interesting. It feels good to be included in a #FF tweet, but sometimes the only way to receive is to give.

Once you’ve built up your base of followers on Twitter, you’ve got to maintain them while still encouraging them to share and help your network to grow. Again, engage with your followers. Respond to what they are saying and share content they post that you find interesting. Ask questions to the “twitterverse,” and join everyone in a specific conversation by using hashtags. You can even host conversations and invite people to join the conversation by using a specific hashtag.

Social Media Marketing is a way to increase sales of a product or service through engagement with a consumer base. Engagement requires the sharing, discussing, and forwarding of information. Remember, the only way to truly boost engagement is to work with what you have and remember that, in the world of social media, it really isn’t so much about you as it is about them.