We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again, whether for a brand or influencer, trust and credibility are key when building your social media pages. Reverse engineer the process and think about the brands that you engage with, as soon as you see their logo pop-up, there’s an immediate inclination for you to read, engage and share. Why? It’s because you know what to expect, at some point that brand has contributed value to your life in some way, shape, and form and you remember them for it.
But you don’t just waltz into that point of course and we all need to start somewhere. So here are a few tips to help you get started.
1. Add Value
As alluded to above, you need to be adding value, either in the form of entertainment or utility (useful content). You can’t expect people to get excited about your page if they don’t know what to expect. No, writing about fitness and then doing prank videos just because they’re making waves, is not diversifying. It’s just plain confusing. Set out your content themes and stick to them.
2. Influencer Marketing
This one’s exclusively for the companies of course, but one of the quickest ways to gain credibility is associate yourself with those who already have it. Do bare in mind that how they’re used is just as important as selecting the right ones, a sponsored product review, for instance, is not going to be as effective as an elaborate campaign.
3. Jump at Industry Trends
As an authority in your field, your audience expects you to cover or at least provide an opinion on relevant conversations. Struggling to stay abreast with everything in the social media sphere? Use tools like Social Mention, BuzzSumo, or even the social platform’s (Facebook & Twitter) own trend sections. Looking for something a bit more automated and free? You could use the oldie but always a goodie, Google Trends, which sends news stories directly to your inbox.
4. Develop Social Proof
Just like #irl, everyone wants to be friends with the popular guy/girl. Why? You’re thinking if all those people want to hang out with this person, there must be something amazing about them. The equivalent online is having a tons of fans/followers with great engagement rates.
Which brings us too…
5. Encouraging Engagement
Harder to do early on, but is essential to expanding reach. Think dialogue, not monolog, and run things like giveaways, promotions, Q&A’s, etc.
6. Be Quick & Responsive With Your Customers
If your followers know they can reach out to you, whether for inquiries, advice or even complaints, they are more willing to do so. Use that comment section to your advantage, and start conversations.Â