Turning Followers into Customers: Ways to Improve Your Social Media Strategy
Social media is one of the sources for most online activities today. Nearly everyone you know has a social media account and uses it on a near-daily basis. Social media usage in 2020 reached 3.6 billion people worldwide. Researchers expect this number to increase and hit 4.41 billion by 2025.
Its integration into our daily lives makes social media a potent marketing tool. The current social media ad spend worldwide is worth $154 billion, meaning companies worldwide are putting significant focus into this endeavor.
If you’ve already set up a social media presence for your business, you’re on the right track. Read on below to learn why and how to leverage your social media following to benefit your business.
The Importance of a Social Media Strategy
The potency of social media as a marketing tool relies heavily on your strategy. It helps you leverage the many advantages of social media to benefit your business directly.
One significant advantage of social media marketing is direct contact with potential and existing customers. It humanizes your brand and allows you to build lasting relationships with members of your customer base. It is also very cost-effective. A social media account usually costs nothing to set up, allowing for a significant return on investment.
Although these advantages come with the territory, you can only see their full potential through a solid strategy. You need to plan out your moves to make the most out of your social media presence.
How to Attract New Customers from Social Media
Getting a lot of followers on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter is all well and good. After all, it is the main currency of social media, one of its main metrics for success.
However, transforming these followers into paying customers is your top priority as a business owner. Here are some social media strategy tips that might help.
Study Your Analytics
Each social media platform gives users access to their account analytics. These figures allow you to track your account performance and create an objective assessment of your social media presence. It answers questions such as:
- Which posts are the most popular?
- During what times are my followers most active?
- How many people did my account reach?
- How did my audience engage with my posts?
- How well did I perform compared to the previous week/month?
An in-depth look at your analytics allows you to pinpoint which of your strategies work in better engaging your audience. It shows you what attracts their attention and which areas demand a better approach.
Utilize Influencer Marketing
The word “influencer” is on everybody’s lips nowadays. They are social media users with a significant following. They usually make their living by partnering with and promoting various brands to their audience.
Combine this with the popularity of social media, and you have a multibillion-dollar industry in your hands. As of 2021, the global influencer marketing industry’s market value was $13.8 billion.
Partnering with influencers allows you to promote your brand to a broader audience and through a personality that many people trust. An influencer gives a familiar, reliable face to your brand, which can convince audiences to try out your product or service.
However, working with big influencers can cost a lot of money, making it difficult for small businesses. Micro-influencers are an excellent alternative. They have smaller followings, but their audiences are still just as engaged and can still benefit your brand.
Run Social Media Events and Contests
One great way to boost engagement with your social media pages and your brand is by conducting special events such as contests and games.
You can attract new people to your brand with the proper mechanics, then turn them into new customers. It also boosts your page’s engagement, which in turn can help expose your brand to bigger audiences.
Contests are also relatively inexpensive to run. You just need to pick a set of prizes and monitor the responses. With all the new leads you’ll get, the return on investment will be well worth it.
Encourage Recommendation
When making purchasing decisions, people often rely on reviews and recommendations. It gives consumers a sense of security to make good choices with their money.
It is becoming increasingly important for shoppers to vet their shopping choices, especially with online shopping becoming the norm as of late. In 2021, 70 percent of online shoppers read one to six customer reviews before purchasing anything.A significant number of positive reviews and recommendations on various platforms will establish your brand as a reliable choice. People listen to people they trust. Providing excellent products and customer service will attract new customers and keep them coming back.
Make Prompt Replies
Responding quickly to customer queries and feedback helps build better customer relationships. It makes them feel like you care about what they have to say and prioritize communication.
Quick response times, especially when a customer is inquiring about your products and services, could be the key to making a sale. Taking immediate advantage of the customer’s interest hastens the process and encourages them to do business with you.
Even when dealing with negative comments or criticism, responding quickly and civilly can only help your image. It builds trust in your brand and even shows off your customer service skills.
The Bottom Line
As a business owner, you have several valuable tools and resources at your disposal. However, the only way to shine with these tools is through well-thought-out strategies. You can strengthen your social media presence and create a thriving customer base even with a limited budget.
