Instagram and Facebook are ground zero for social media marketing. Whether an online business is your primary source of income or just a side gig, you must have an effective social media campaign to succeed. A big part of that is reaching the right people. Read on to learn 3 smart ways to boost your Facebook and Instagram influencer campaigns.
1. Be Active
Consistent posting is an essential component of engagement. There’s a difference between posting and spamming. ‘Consistent’ can mean just one or two posts per day. You don’t have to cancel the rest of your life to get it done. Let’s say you’re celebrating your 30th anniversary. Generate a post about it that ties that in with your product or service. This creates authenticity while remaining relevant and fresh. Timing is also important. Some people try to exploit Instagram’s and Facebook’s algorithms, but the most important thing is understanding your particular audience. It’ll likely take some trial and error, but using tools like Insights can help you zero in on the times your followers are most active.
Just as important as regular, relevant content is using the right hashtags. Whether you’re selling Tahitian pearls or car parts, effective hashtags can make the difference between major visibility and ghostly silence. The only way to know which hashtags will work best for your business is to do research. Start by looking up similar content on high-performing posts. Be sure to use a branded hashtag which makes your content easier to discover organically. To up visibility, use that hashtag in your profile. How many hashtags is another important consideration. Believe it or not, posts with 11+ hashtags garner the most engagement. But you don’t have to go wild; even a single hashtag can boost interaction 10% or more. To help you figure out the optimum number for your business, check out the competition and then experiment until you hit the winning combination. Keep in mind that Instagram and Facebook can penalize posts that get flagged as spam, so mix up the number and type of hashtags to minimize the chances of that happening.
2. Tell Stories
A hard sell is not the way to get your message across. Captivate your audience by telling a story — but not by words alone. Use everything in your arsenal, including video, pics, text, gifs, emojis, etc. to get your message across in creative ways. What people are looking for is connection, to feel like someone ‘gets’ them. When you share stories people relate to, they’re much more likely to buy, and share with their friends, broadening your customer base. Creating fresh content can be a lot of work, so be smart. On Facebook, use Creative Hub. For Instagram, explore Stories, IGTV, and Reels. A great way to have a steady stream of original material is by sharing content created by your followers. Just be sure it’s relevant to your brand. Captions, particularly longer ones, are another compelling way to halt would-be scrollers and boost the amount of time they spend perusing your posts. Use captions to tell micro-stories, increase authenticity, improve engagement, and build a connection between you and potential customers. Always be sure to include links in your stories to make purchases as easy as possible. Engagement is great, but what you want is conversions. Be sure to include calls to action (CTAs) with your images and captions, on your profile, and just about everywhere else.
On social media, images still matter more than words. While ‘perfection’ is falling from favor, visual consistency on your feed is still important. It creates an appealing aesthetic experience that keeps visitors on your site longer, giving you a better chance of scoring a sale. Once again, authenticity matters, and ‘natural’ photos with a ‘no-edit’ style are trending. Which editing format you choose matters less than overall consistency, a look that matches your brand identity, and is one your target audience relates to.
3. Partner With Micro-Influencers
Getting your message out to a million people is great, but it does you no good if they’re not interested in what you’re selling. Broaden your marketing range by partnering with thought leaders in specific niches. Rather than chasing down high-profile celebrities, look for smaller names who engage the type of people who are likely be interested in your product or service. You don’t need a superstar; you need the right influencer to back your brand. Today’s consumers are savvy. They can smell a phony a mile away, making authenticity more important than ever. Micro-influencers have higher engagement and get better conversion rates because people perceive them as real and relatable. When partnering with other influencers, be sure to give clear information and guidance so you create the right message.
Instagram and Facebook may be the overlords of social media, but that doesn’t mean you should discount other channels. Cross-promote to all your social media accounts and always include clickable links. Both Facebook and Instagram offer tools to help you create links easily. The more ways followers have to find you, the better. But don’t cross-promote every single post. This creates redundancy and reducing the need for followers to visit your Instagram or Facebook page.
Armed with these tips, any budding or struggling influencer can expand and succeed on social media. Keep in mind that even the biggest influencers are always learning, and no matter who you are, you can always boost your engagements.
