Want to master the art of being interesting on social media so you can get your audience’s attention? Then look no further than this blog post. We will show you some of the best strategies to get people loving your social media content.
Social media can be anyone’s game, assuming you play your cards right. With so many people having access to internet and social networking platforms, brands are now becoming big parts of that experience.
Surveys and studies show us that 8 out of 10 Americans on social media – and just about the same number comprise businesses with social media accounts. This statistic tells us two things:
- The potential you can reach your audience online.
- The amount of businesses with the same goal.
You want to be more than just an account a user follows, after all. That won’t help your business’ bottom line.
You want to be a brand that absolutely delights users and develops strong relationships with consumers. Of course, that can only happen after you get their attention.
But as we know, social media can be a very noisy place, making it challenging to get your audience’s attention, let alone follow and engage with you.
So the question is: How do you stand apart from the crowd and actually be interesting on social media?
This is what you’ll learn in this article.
How to Get Your Audience’s Attention on Social Media
1. Clearly define your brand image
Your brand image is what will help users remember your social media account is, well, yours. Differentiate yourself from the rest of the businesses out there doing generic motivational quotes superimposed on a photo of a man conquering a mountain.
Brand image certainly has to do with visuals but it’s also more than that. What kind of language do you speak online? What emotions or feelings do you want people to feel when they see your posts? What are the specific topics and themes you can post about?
As a great rule of thumb, imagine that users only had a handful of seconds to understand what your social media account was all about. You’ll want their answers to hit the mark on what you intended for your own brand image.
Mailchimp’s brand image is hip and fresh, appealing to audiences who resonate with said image.
2. Don’t be afraid to let loose
Social media isn’t business 24/7 – in fact, there’s a little fun and games in there. That said, don’t be afraid to let loose and give audiences a taste of your fun side.
Memes and social commentary have their place on a social media feed and can show audiences that you’re not detached from reality. But also consider that your content and freedom should have limits. After all, you don’t want to end up banned or censored on any social media network, so strike a balance between fun and bold versus acceptable online.
MoonPie isn’t afraid to tickle audiences’ funny bones on their official Twitter account.
3. Capture other people’s attention by sharing their content
Creating original content is great, but curating other people’s content can sometimes be better. Curating other people’s work and sharing them on your own account can do wonders for building a sense of community around your brand.
To do this, you can:
- Encourage users to create content around your brand
- Create an official hashtag
- Surprise users who tag or mention you by sharing their content online
By doing this, you might even encourage users to share user-generated content about your brand themselves. After all, people like knowing that their favorite brands have seen their stuff or are engaging with them online.
Share the love by sharing other people’s posts, but don’t forget to give credit where credit is due! (Source)
Admittedly, curating content can be time-consuming. Quuu helps make this process easier by not only you find curated content to publish on your social media accounts, but also ensures that they meet the needs of your target audience.
The best part about this is that you can start using Quuu for free or opt for one of their paid plans:
- Pro Plan at $8.33/month (paid annually), which gives you six curated post suggestions that you can publish to up to 10 social media channels.
- Business Plan at $40.83/month (paid annually), which gives you six curated post suggestions that you can publish to up to 100 social media channels.
4. Master the art of storytelling
Anybody can come up with things to post on social media, but a truly engaging brand knows how to tell stories with their posts.
When unsure, ask yourself this: “why is this post interesting to my audience?”
Aim to connect with them through these stories, be it actual narratives or posts that show how your brand can help them overcome challenges and pains they might be experiencing. Remember that stories have a hook, so what’s yours?
These are really what make a difference between good social media accounts and awesome social media accounts – their ability to connect with their users through shared stories online. This may be a skill that requires some practice, but it’s definitely one you’ll need for your brand in the long haul.
The story behind Under Armour’s Sport Hijab is centered on the struggles Muslim women have faced balancing fitness and their beliefs.
5. Relationships first, sales later
On social media, chances are your customers aren’t looking to shop. Maybe some users land on your profiles looking for your products and services, sure, but that won’t make for a sustainable brand image.
Instead, focus on building relationships with your audience by getting engagement instead of sales.
The best way to make this happen is to turn your social media accounts into the bridge that makes your brand part of your customers’ lives.
Start by making sure that the majority of the posts you publish are those that focus on your target audience rather than your products or business. By that, I mean that the posts should give tips and solutions that’ll solve your audience’s problems.
Also, don’t be afraid to show the human side of your brand. Add behind-the-scenes photos of you and your team in action. Doing this will help you and your business become relatable to your audience.
6. Choose what you automate very carefully
The rise of social media has also brought with it useful tools like scheduling apps or analytics software. And while automation is a gift for marketers, there is such a thing as automating only the right things.
For example, you can automate the posts you share on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Certain LinkedIn automation tools even let you schedule direct messages or requests to connect.
What’s important is balancing these automated posts and actions with timing. For example, there is a time to share happy and fun content that makes people laugh, but there is also a time to share in moments of collective grief or hurt, as in the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.
To make sure you’re on top of everything, keep your ear to the ground. Stay updated with breaking news or national holidays so you know the right things to automate and when.
7. Keep all your data secure
Finally, you’ll want to keep all your data secure, both for your and your customers’ sake. This helps build trust in the long run and makes you a reliable brand for users.
A company-wide VPN service can help make sure all your social accounts are being managed on secure networks and IP addresses. This way, your accounts are far less vulnerable and prone to hacks and malicious attacks.
When you take this extra step, you’re assuring customers that you’re serious about keeping your company’s data – including any personal data you may collect from them – safe. After all, over 80% of people said they would stop engaging with a brand online after a data breach, so security becomes a top priority in your entire business strategy.
Let’s Recap
In this post, I’ve shared with you seven ways on how you can capture the interest of your target audience, namely:
- Clearly defining your brand image
- Don’t be afraid to let loose
- Be generous in sharing other people’s content
- Master the art of storytelling
- Relationships first, sales later
- Choose what you automate carefully
- Keep all your data secure
Don’t expect to master the art of social media all in one day. This takes constant practice, effort, and a little bit of luck to really get right. But as long as you follow the tips in this post, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a more interesting social media account that users won’t want to miss out on.
