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In 2020, brands have to have a dynamic strategy if they want to succeed online. Strengthening a presence on social media will help businesses reach a greater audience, connect on a deeper level with existing customers, and build a credible reputation. To give your brand the boost it needs to get noticed this year, here are six tips to keep in mind.
Set Goals That Aren’t About Numbers
You can find far more success online if you begin to focus on engagement over notifications. While “likes” are the internet’s form of approval, they don’t mean anything if they aren’t from people who truly connect with your content. Don’t buy followers or try to cheat your way to the top. Focus on creating new content that prompts people to leave comments and start interacting with your brand.
Even though your numbers might not be as big as you’d like, consider the value instead. It’s much better to have 100 active and engaged followers than 10,000 who rarely even like your posts.
Have a Schedule
Research your platforms and figure out what times you should post to get the most engagement. Whether you’re blogging or using social media, making sure that your posts don’t get lost in your viewers’ is vital to building a following. The best time to post on Instagram, for example, is usually weekdays between noon and 3 PM EST. Those times may change, though, based on your audience’s location and your niche.
Play around with different times to conduct some A/B testing. Once you get a feel for when your target audience is most active, it will be easier to connect with them at the right time.
Avoid Generic Photos
Stock images have fallen out of the public’s favor, especially on social media. Authenticity is the most important, and you should avoid posting purchased images or highly-staged, promotional photos. Consider Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter as places to personalize your business. Don’t post things with the sole purpose of making a sale.
Adjust Your KPIs
Key performance indicators (KPI) help you measure growth and feedback on social media. Instagram and Twitter both of analytics readily available, but if you aren’t choosing the right factors to measure for your brand, then figures are useless. Different KPIs align with different goals, so consider your strategy on each platform and choose KPIs accordingly.
Stick to What You’re Good At
Post where your people are. If your audience spends most of their time on LinkedIn, focus on creating content that is relevant to those users. Not every business is going to thrive across every available platform. Posting on the right platforms will lead to greater engagement and, ultimately, a much stronger presence.
Say No to Stock Answers
No one likes a copycat; avoid being generic in your comments section, even in the face of complaints. Negative feedback doesn’t impact your brand nearly as much as your response; keep it professional, but don’t be impersonal. People like brands that are sincere. Avoid providing any repetitive responses to people who comment on your posts, and craft a personal reply to every engagement.
With these tips in mind, you can create an online presence that helps your business stand out among the competition.
Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.
You can change your reputation over time. Just like reputations can be tarnished, they can also be repaired so that you can reap the benefits of having a positive online reputation.
Wah the tips are very reasonable and needed.
great post
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