The new year has been full of changes in the business realm, especially online. With the ongoing pandemic, many are still forced to work remotely and be at home. This means more individuals taking to the digital world in their spare time. There has not been a more important time to have a digital presence than now.
If you’re looking to grow your digital presence in 2021, a great place to start is with your social media platforms. As a business owner, word of mouth and social media can be a powerful combination to achieve your goals. Like any other business aspect, social media is ever-changing and if you don’t keep up with it, you will fall behind.
So, to ensure that you’re thriving, here are 6 social media tips you should be implementing right now.
Start posting on Instagram Reels.
Last year, Instagram released Reels in light of the popular social media app, TikTok. Reels allows you to create short 15-second multi-clip videos with different audio, effects, and creative tools. For those who have wanted to try out TikTok but weren’t quite ready to jump on to a new platform, Reels is a great way to begin posting more video content. The easiest way to start testing it out is by repurposing current video content that you have or an Instagram Story. But if you want a challenge, research some Reels and try to recreate one that piques your interest.
Implementing Reels to your marketing campaign can be very beneficial as 72% of customers would rather learn about a product or service by way of video. And with the attention span of online users becoming less with the advancement of technology, Reels is a great way to grab their attention in a short amount of time.
Share your expertise on the new social media platform, Clubhouse.
Clubhouse is the latest social media platform to hit the scene. It’s a voice-based app that can connect you with your target audience and some of the world’s most prominent business and industry leaders. The main function of this app is the ‘rooms’ - sort of like online chat rooms - that you can enter or create and start conversations on any topic you want. To put it simply, it’s like hosting a virtual event or conference call.
It’s a great way to tap into unknown audiences around the world and also push followers to your other platforms because you can link your Twitter and Instagram. At the end of the day, like every other social media app, Clubhouse is what you make it and can be a great tool if used strategically. It’s still in beta mode, so you will need an invitation from a current Clubhouse user to join.
Re-analyze which platforms your target audience is on.
In the past year, a lot has happened in the realm of social media. New platforms surfaced, some platforms went away, and others added different features within it, all causing users to shift their online habits. So, if you haven’t taken time to re-evaluate which platforms your target audience is on, you could be putting in a lot of effort for little return.
Make time to conduct an analysis and ensure that your audience is not just on a platform, but active on it. The easiest way to do this is by creating posts with a call-to-action telling them to like, share, or comment and see which platforms get the most engagement. Then shift your focus and tailor your marketing efforts to those platforms.
Utilize the power of the direct message (DM).
Another social media marketing strategy that you should consider in 2021 is the power of direct messaging, otherwise known as the DM. DMs can be a beneficial way to connect with target audiences. Start by sending DM’s to some of your most loyal consumers and potential collaborators.
The most important thing to remember when it comes to sending messages is that you want to keep it personal, and many people will know when it sounds automated. Work on creating and building a relationship with the accounts you are DM’ing. Once you’ve built up a relationship, you can send consumers exclusive sales via DM or ask influencers and businesses if they would be interested in collaborating.
Start collaborating with influencers and other businesses.
One of the best things about social media is the ability to connect and cultivate a community. And you could be missing out on many opportunities if you haven’t taken part in the power of collaboration. To help you grow your social media community even more in 2021, look for more ways to collaborate with influencers and other businesses that are like-minded. For example, you could collaborate with another entrepreneur to host an Instagram Live together and tap into their audience or host a social media giveaway with another business.
Influencer marketing is a tactic that many businesses can find success in. In fact, 89% of marketers say the ROI from influencer marketing is comparable to or better than other marketing channels. Tapping into macro- and micro-influencers can help spread brand awareness and direct response because of the loyalty and trust followers have towards them.
Be more personal with your posts.
Are you showcasing you and your brand’s personality through your social media, or are you falling victim to hiding behind your work? If you related more to falling victim, then you may be doing the opposite of what you should on social media. Think of it this way, you can’t cultivate genuine connections with your community if you only feature your products and services on your social media feeds. It’s basically an account for your digital advertisements at that point.
The easiest way to start implementing this is by showing your face more often. Post on your story at least once a day, include content with people and real consumers who’ve used your product or service and go Live more often. Posting useful and meaningful content that resonates with your target audience will get you the results you want in the long run.
and then Add to Home Screen.
