Posting on social media is great, but even better is creating a conversation.
For years, companies around the world have been harnessing the power of social media to grow their business. But many fall short when it comes to the true intentions of content marketing.
When you post something that aims to attract your ideal users, don’t walk away. Those notifications that let you know how the post is performing are the important part.
Engagement refers to every time you and users who follow your company profiles interact. That interaction can not only lead to high-quality leads, but it will lead to more followers who are genuinely interested in what you offer.
How did you grow your Instagram followers? If you made the mistake of buying them, try our previous article: Why You Shouldn’t Buy Instagram Followers
How can you optimize your content for user engagement??
Optimizing your content marketing to improve user engagement is not easy. Many people limit their activities to a blog post and then hope for the best.
Many small business content marketing strategies involve googling a topic and rewriting one or more pieces in a new voice. Video content is guilty of this, as many videos directly borrow or copy a previously successful video.
In any case, a user has already seen that content, so why would they act on yours when it’s the same thing?
Here are some more effective ways to create targeted content for user engagement:
Step 1 – Create something new
Your first step for your content is to accept that you will have to take some risks.
That risk relates to how you present your content, what you have to say, and how your brand brings something new to the topic.
This graph shows how this task is considered the most difficult for companies when trying to improve their online presence. While it focuses on B2B, anyone who works in B2C needs to pay attention.
This initial step is crucial because it forces you to do more than write off your marketing as a chore to put off.
Many companies leave their content marketing strategy entirely in the hands of an agency, which will not be effective. An agency or consultant is an expert in how to distribute content, but not in your business, so you will have to work with them.
This means holding meetings where they can get your input on what you do and why any user would want to buy from you or be your customer.
A solid small business content marketing strategy involves a process of constant collaboration.
Working together is the best route to creating great content.
Great content means matching your skill set with that of the person(s) you’re working with to make sure it’s seen by the most eyes and is structured to benefit your overall online presence.
Step Two: Engage, Adapt, and Refine
The second step is to observe the reaction.
Look for spikes in new Likes, Shares, or Follows, and look at the topic that users have expressed the most interest in. This can show you a lot about the value your users see you provide.
If you post regular blog posts or videos and see 5-10 likes and no comments, and then post something that gets double that or gets users to comment, you know to explore that topic in future pieces of content.
If/when you see comments, then you absolutely must respond.
The worst thing a brand can do is leave the commitment hanging empty. Not only will the user who took the time to comment be put off, but it will show everyone else who sees that comment without a response that your company really isn’t paying attention.
Also, many users see social media as a great way to get a company’s attention when they have a problem. So when they see that they can’t even reach you on Twitter or Facebook, they will naturally question your support in general and probably look for another provider that engages their users.
Look at the phenomenal traction Facebook groups have for people who are interested in a particular topic.
Your niche may not be big, but if you capture an audience within it, your engagement will benefit your business by showing users your expertise, your willingness to engage with them (and potential customers), and your engagement with those who care about you. buy or become customers
To make it easier, it’s best to have an internal set of canned responses ready for whoever oversees the accounts to refer to. Chatbots are a new product that automates this process through Facebook messenger and they exist for a reason. Many business owners can’t juggle their responsibilities and learn and monitor their accounts.
For social media, your best bet is to hire a professional and work with them. You can compose a set of answers to frequently asked questions, and if in doubt, they’ll send you an email so you can respond in your own time. This again speaks to the cooperative nature of having a professional help you with your social media.