Resolving to do a better job with social media next year? We have you covered. Here are some of our top social media sales tips from our 2016 Sales Wake Up newsletters.
Instagram: Posts “Too Good Not to Share.” According to marketing expert Nathan Chen, there’s a big difference between having an Instagram page and using it to its full advantage. One thing that helps? “Shout-outs” in the form of post shares by influential people — be they movers and shakers in your town or international celebrities. “Nothing beats having your posts shared by social influencers, he wrote for the Huffington Post. “Getting a shout-out…means that authority rubs off on you, their fans will automatically become more receptive to your message. Which means more followers, more engagement and more sales.”
Snapchat: Try out a Millennial Fave. You’ve mastered Facebook, gotten the hang of Instagram and Pinterest and maybe even dabbled on Twitter…do you have to try yet another social media platform? If you’re interested in growing sales among Millennials, the answer, according to Michelle Brammer of eZanga, is yes. Brammer encourages small business owners to start using Snapchat, the hip mash-up of messaging service and social media that boasts 100 million users a month (71 percent of them are under age 34). The mobile app allows users to send videos and pictures, both of which will “self destruct” (or, in less apocalyptic language, disappear) after a few seconds of a person viewing them. Users also can take a photo or a video with it, then add a caption or doodle or lens graphic over top. “Snaps — pictures or 10-second videos shot on Snapchat — are a fast and effective way to not only communicate brand value and initiatives, but to humanize a business and incentivize customers,” Brammer explained. “Small businesses worldwide are tapping into Snapchat to create brand awareness and to elicit actions from their Snapchat followers.”
Across Platforms: Questions and Visuals for Better Engagement. If you want people to comment, click and share, post photos and videos and make content as interactive as possible with quizzes, questions and fill-in the blanks. “Everyone has an opinion, and social media culture empowers people to share theirs,” explains Andrew Rasso, co-founder and director of the Online Marketing Gurus. “Question’ posts get 100 percent more comments than standard social media posts.” One caveat: “Be mindful of the type of engagement you seek,” Rasso warns. “According to data from HubSpot, posts will net you more comments but tend to accumulate fewer likes and shares.” Samples to try: “What is your favorite fall flower?” and “What was your best Halloween costume of all time?”
