Get Your Social Media Going [Part 2]

In part one of “Get Your Social Media Going,” we talked about what types of content to post and how to manage it all when getting started with your social media strategy.

(Did we mention that social media is a big factor in your SEO efforts?)

Today, we’re going to explore some simple steps you can take to grow your social media presence and move beyond the beginner level.

Choose Your Weapon

When you’re just getting started with social media marketing, it’s easy to take the shotgun approach, or in other words, fire a giant spray of content and hope it connects to someone in your target audience.

While there is real merit in spreading information with the intent to reach as many people as possible, it’s important you learn how (and when) to put away your fire hose and instead, reach for your bow and arrow.

So, how do you know which approach will work best for you?

When you have a laser-targeted audience and are focused on sales, your return on investment (ROI), and click-through rates (CTR), that’s when you’ll want to pull out the rifle approach.

If, however, you’re going for maximum reach and/or brand visibility, the shotgun approach would be your best shot.

Team up with influencers 

All of us are looking to others who do it well, whatever “it” may be. Find an influencer that can speak to the needs of the specific audience you’re trying to reach.

Before you say you don’t know any real influencers, remember the most important influencers are right at your fingertips, your customers!

Looking to reach business to business clients? Seek out one of your best business clients and ask to interview them about how their print marketing (from you) has impacted their business. With one, simple interview you can create a blog post and multiple social media posts that will get your prospects and customers clicking to read more.

Custom Audiences and Ad Targeting

Did you know that less than 2% of your fans see your Facebook posts?

Since everyone has to earn their spot on Facebook’s newsfeed, it’s important to A) make sure your content is great and B) make sure people know about it.

To increase your chances of making it on your customers’ and prospects’ newsfeeds, there are a few things you can do.

Increase your Facebook followers (aka ‘likes’). According to Social Media Examiner CEO, Michael Stelzner, simply posting content won’t get your company followers. In order for Facebook’s algorithm to give your Facebook page authority and display your content to more than 2% of your Facebook audience, you have to have a certain number of followers. This is where you’ll want to consider paid Facebook campaigns to reel in additional followers.

Leverage your email addresses. Another way to gain followers instantly is by using Facebook’s Custom Audience tool that leverages email addresses. It’s pretty easy to do by simply requiring you to take your email list and import it into the Facebook ad dashboard. Once done, you can invite those on your email list to ‘like‘ your page.

Email marketing campaigns. Grandma always said you’ll never know unless you ask. Meaning, if you ask others to follow your business Facebook page, they might follow you, thus increasing the likelihood of your content getting in front of the eyes of your buyers. You’ll need to craft some messaging or copy in some sort of email campaign and then send out the invitation through your email marketing software. Our MIS tool has the benefit of email marketing built in, so you can easily execute this type of campaign.

The Perfect Content recipe

Once you know who you’re targeting and once your business has hundreds upon hundreds of Facebook followers, you have to remember the number one rule when it comes to content: Always add value! 

A good way to measure your content is to use an 80/20 mix. Make 80% of your content focused on relevant, shareable posts, while the other 20% can be more of the persuasive, call-to-action kind of posts. A good balance like this is critical if you want sustainable growth.

Remember, high-quality content (that gets retweeted and shared) doesn’t talk about you. Are they really going to share your post about your latest digital press? Probably not. But, your most recent blog post with nine tips on how to make direct mail that stands out, you bet!

Learn the Best Times to Post

Lastly, once you have your audience in your sights, you have ample followers, and your content perfected, here are some tips to get maximum effectiveness from your delivery.

Facebook:

  • Typically, the best time to post is in the early afternoon, particularly on Thursdays, but be willing to research this based on your audience. Again, be willing to ask them. For example: if your target audience is someone who works in a busy manufacturing facility from the hours of 6 am to 5 pm, then chances are they’ll be logged in and active in the evenings or weekends. Adjust your Facebook posting schedule to meet the needs of your ideal prospects.
  • Facebook loves videos! Remember, print shops are amazing. Showcase some quick videos of your folding machine in action and how you apply ink to your presses. Also, don’t be afraid to dive into the world of Facebook Live videos.

Twitter:

  • For business-to-business content, the best time to post is Thursdays around noon.
  • For business-to-consumer, the most popular times to post are weekends and Wednesdays.
  • The highest click-through rates (CTR) happen between noon and 6:00 PM because of lunch breaks and commuting.

LinkedIn:

  • The best times to post are between noon and 5:00 PM Tuesdays through Thursdays.
  • The worst times for posting are Mondays and Fridays.
  • Encourage employees to share your content as well.

There’s a lot to using social media correctly inside your print business, but it can be super encouraging when used correctly!

That said, what are you doing to take your social media out of the beginner stages and onto something bigger? Share your comments with us below.