Here Is How to Boost Your Social-Media Following It takes a matrix of methods and a continuous commitment to create, establish, build and maintain a social-media presence and following.
By Jim Joseph
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Q: What's your number-one tip to boost your social-media following?
A: First of all, I'm going to state right there's no one single way to boost your social-media following. It takes a matrix of methods and a continuous commitment to create, establish, build and maintain a social media presence and following.
But if you are going to force me to give one single answer, for me it's all about the content. Now I'm not the first to give this answer but hopefully I can give a meaningful perspective about it.
We've all seen the tweets with offers to buy followers. Evidently you can get a new bargain on followers every day. I'm not interested.
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To me, it's not about the volume of followers that I've attached to my social channels, it's about my followers' linkage and engagement to my "brand." If I have to forgo the 100,000 bargain followers to get 100 committed people who engage with my content, then so be it. All the better for it.
But getting any of those committed followers starts with the content you put out there for them. Your content and your point of view is what attracts them to you, and your consistency and continual engagement is what will keep them following you.
A few "firsts" to get you started.
First, think like a brand.
When it comes to your social channels and the content you distribute on them, you need to think about yourself as a brand and a publishing brand at that. Come up with a unique positioning for the kind of content you want to put out there and use a consistently unique voice to make it all yours.
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First, know who you are targeting.
Besides reaching a specific demographic, know why these people are interested in your brand. Once you've established your brand, you need to constantly keep your audience in mind when publishing content for them. Think about it through their eyes and ears and give them content that will improve their lives in some way. That way, as soon as they finish one piece of your content they'll be looking for another -- and another.
First, stay committed and deliver consistently.
Social media and content distribution is certainly not a "one and done" proposition. It takes a commitment to produce on a regular schedule, because your audience will learn to expect it from you. This should actually be your goal, so don't disappoint just because you get busy with something else. I suggest mapping it out ahead of time in a calendar so that you always have a guide to follow, no matter the other demands on your time.
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