One of the quickest ways to connect with people in the modern world is through social media. Brands use social media to engage with their community and drive traffic to their website on a daily basis. What’s the goal here? To increase your audience! With a larger audience, more people see your content unleashing more potential for your business to gain new clients. But how can you grow your one hundred follower account to a one thousand follower account? Keep reading to find out!

1. Switch to a business account

Changing your profile to a business account allows you access to native analytics. By making this simple switch you’ll be able to see how many accounts you’ve reached, your content engagement, your audience growth, and even a breakdown of your current followers by demographic — all for free! With all this data, you can make more informed decisions on your content strategy. 

 

2. Optimize your bio 

Don’t clutter your bio with emojis or your favorite quote. You should use this space to explain what your business is, where your business is located, your business hours, contact information, and what your goals are. For example, the brand Boxed Water features “let’s build a #BetterPlanet” in their bio.  This is not the space for ambiguity. Your bio should include a concise statement letting visitors know exactly what you do. Don’t forget to include a link to your website if you have one!

 

3. Post when your audience will see it

Why play to an empty room? With the free data gathered through native analytics, you can see exactly when your audience is the most active — this is when you should post! Making content requires a lot of effort. Don’t waste it by posting when no one will see it. 

 

4. Be consistent 

While no one really knows how social media algorithms work, we do know that consistent posting is best. This means that if you post consistently, your content is more likely to show up on your followers’ feed. But don’t simply post content just to post — your audience’s time is valuable. Make sure your content is something that your followers actually want to see! The more engaging the content, the more likely it will be shared by your followers. Getting frequent shares from your audience is a great way to make yourself known to other social media users.

 

5. Utilize hashtags

The easiest way to get more eyes on your content is the proper use of hashtags. Hashtags are searchable and can help bring your content to users who are interested in your field. The trick is to tailor your hashtags to your brand niche. Avoid the possibility of your posts getting lost in the clutter and steer clear of generic hashtags such as #happy or #love. How do you know which hashtags are effective? It will take some trial and error, but by searching for different hashtags, you can see how many people are using the tag as well as some popular related ones.

 

6. Explore paid ads

If you have the budget, explore the world of paid ads. Paid advertisements on social media can help you to promote your content, grow your audience, and increase engagement on your posts. Ideally, those that see your advertisements will navigate to your page and become part of your social community — or maybe even a customer!

 

7. Encourage tagging friends

Bring new users to your content by encouraging tagging. Edit your caption to include ‘tag a friend who agrees’ or ‘tag a friend who needs to see this’. By having your followers tag their friends in your posts you are increasing the likelihood that more people will see your content! If your messaging resounds with these new viewers, you may even get some new followers out of the deal. Use this tactic sparsely however as overuse can make your posts look like spam.

 

8. Listen, respond, repeat 

You’re not going to make new friends by ignoring your current ones. You respond to comments from your friends on social media, right? Respond to the community surrounding your business in the same way. By paying attention to what people are saying, and analyzing the performance data, you can continue to refine your content to become increasingly more valuable to your audience. 

 

9. Promote, Promote, Promote

Contests and promotions can be a great way to engage with your current audience, as well as bring in outside audiences to your accounts. People are more likely to engage with your social media account if they have a chance to receive something for doing it. By hosting a “Like and follow to enter” competition you can improve engagement on your posts, as well as grow your followers.

 

Each business is unique. What proves effective for some may be less effective for others, but these tactics provide a starting point for growing your social media audience. Keep these tips in mind but don’t shy away from creating your own methods and finding what works best for you. Ready to get serious about your social media marketing, check out this must-know list of social media terms!

 

written by Mikayla Klein