Even during regular times, social media can be a bear to navigate. What worked last week might not reach the same engagement this time around. And while that goes without saying for all forms of content marketing, social media is a different animal because it requires consistent engagement and monitoring.
Add the hustle and bustle of the holidays into the mix, and social media can be forgotten in your ever-growing to-do list. You already know what that means: social media is essential to your marketing plan, so neglecting it can affect your bottom line – and not in a good way!
Plus, there are proven benefits to utilizing social media during the holidays. According a survey from Adweek, 8 out of 10 customers said they use social media to discover new brands and products during the holidays. Therefore, getting your name out there on social media is more important than ever to stay ahead of the curve.
We can hear you asking: what if you’re falling behind? Good question, and good news: hope isn’t lost for a great holiday! All you need to do is act fast and strategically in order to get in front of your customers as much as possible.
Let’s go back to basics
Social media 101: post consistently, engage with your followers, choose eye-catching images and captions that generate more than just likes. Also, be sure everything you post fits your business’s brand.
Followers don’t want to, or don’t notice, junk. And by junk, we mean content that’s irrelevant to them or your business. Anything snooze-worthy (boring, wordy posts) will also be glossed over as your followers scroll through their feed.
People love content that’s engaging, but they want to know what to expect. Therefore, branding voice is critical. Are you a soothing, relaxing spa? Take your followers on a refreshing wellness journey with every post. If you’re a hot, zooming motorsports company, flashy, speedy, and loud should be your style!
Take advantage of scheduling posts
If you aren’t already scheduling posts, why not? Not only can it be a time-saver; it can help you make the most out of your posts.
Client engagement peaks at certain times of the day, holiday or no holiday. If you know your customers are scrolling through Facebook at certain times of the day, plan your social media posts for those times. That way, they’re more likely to see them in their feed.
Social media metrics
But how do you know what times your followers are active? Simple. Your metrics can tell you what times most of your followers are engaging with your posts.
For instance, Facebook Analytics can not only tell you how many times your posts were liked or shared, it can also tell you what times of day, or what days, your customers were most active on. With this information, you know what times you should post to gain followers, likes, and shares!
Let your followers do the work for you
Speaking of shares, encourage your followers to share your posts as much as possible, especially for promotions and events.
Did you know you can ask guest to check in to your store or event? If you’re having a promotion or an in-store event, encourage your guests to check in on Facebook. Why? It will spread the word about your promotion or event to their friends and followers on social media. This strategy not only increases your social media presence; it can even increase your rankings in search engines.
Join a community
Facebook, LinkedIn, and other networks are making it easier than ever to stay connected. They’re also making it easy to stay in tune with relevant content or content creators. Facebook and LinkedIn have vibrant communities and groups you can join. Plus, they’re chock-full of influencers that are relevant to your business that you can connect with.
Be careful though – many groups have “anti-spam” rules that forbid self-promotion in their groups. If you’re unsure if a post goes against a group’s rules, contact the admins and ask.
Seems simple, right? If not, or if you want social media off your plate this holiday season and beyond, give us a call at (248) 684-0500.