Considering near 75% of adult internet users are on Facebook and a solid one third of the world is active on some form of social media, it’s obvious that a solid social media strategy is important in any digital marketing venture. Learning how to use social media properly from a customer growth mindset can make all the difference.
Driving Customer Growth By Using Social Media Makes Sense
Small companies, especially those in the early phases of their life cycle, need to drive customer growth, and they need to take their budget as far as they can. That’s why social media is such a valuable tool for driving customer growth.
Used correctly, social media can help you quickly scale your revenue and hit a growth trajectory that becomes sustainable fast. That ability to “speak” directly to your target market is a key element. People want to know who they’re working with, and social media facilitates that in an incredible way.
Great Social Media Advice Is Hard To Find
Driving customer growth through social media can be difficult. Knowing what works and what doesn’t is largely a matter of trial and error, unless you enlist some great help. The amount of information available in a standard Google search can be confusing, overwhelming, and often outdated.
I wanted to assemble a resource that was reliable and based in proven techniques. I know what it’s like to look for tips and tricks and find nearly decade-old information. I wanted to make sure this read was worth your time.
Guidelines To Help Drive Customer Growth Using Social Media
This set of guidelines will help you see the kind of customer growth you need. It’s something that’s been compiled using the strategies that I’ve personally seen work. They’re not theory; they’ve already been proven.
Share Promotions
This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s really one of the most incorrectly done things on social media. Most social media managers like to share coupons from the paper or the Yelp! Check in deals. They don’t think about how exclusive promos can push more business while expanding influence at the same time.
Create a special promotion for each social network your business is a part of. Even if it’s only a slight difference, the fact that there’s an exclusive promotion is a big deal. Make sure you blend those promotions in well with your regular content.
Drive Site Traffic
A great social media strategy should always try to drive website traffic. Facebook isn’t a great place for a complete sales pitch, and it’s near impossible to do with Twitter’s 140-character limit. Your website, on the other hand, is a great place to make that pitch.
Give every social post a call-to-action that points directly to a lead-capture on your site. Include a link to a landing page or blog article and ask the visitor to do something when they get there. This works especially well when combined with a promotional offer that they receive for taking the action.
Use Variety
Consistently doing the same thing over-and-over on your social media isn’t going to gain any attention. Nobody stays interested in the same thing for long enough to make it worth repeating. That’s just as true for the content type as it is for the content.
Switch up your information often, and with it, the way you present the information. Offer links, videos, pictures, and a few short text-posts. Switch up what you have to say, mixing in interactive comments, information, questions, and just a little bit of sales so your followers aren’t put off, annoyed, or bored.
Stay Consistent
There’s nothing worse than inconsistent social media usage. People can’t follow you if they never know when to expect your posts or what to expect. They need consistency or they’ll leave.
Try to stay on a regular posting schedule. Different social networks have different levels of effective usage, so try to do a little research as to how much you should post on which network. By staying consistent, you’ll keep your fans engaged and the algorithms working in your favor.
Tell Your Story
“Buy this now!” “Come in and spend money!” “Hire us!” Nobody likes to be sold, and most businesses do only that on their social. It drives away potential business, which is ironic to say the least.
Instead of constantly asking for the sale, take your time telling your company’s story. Share your thoughts about simple, local things. Are you going to be at any events? What sorts of shenanigans take place in the office? There are so many better ways to use social media than selling.
Respond
Ever say something to someone and it not get acknowledged? Kinda feels like crap, doesn’t it? That’s how most people feel when you don’t respond to them when they comment on your social media.
From reviews to post comments to likes and shares, everything your followers do needs to be recognized. Take the time to respond in some fashion, be it a like, heart, or text response. On good reviews and nice comments, say thanks and give a like. On negative comments and reviews, take the time to address it politely with the goal in mind to correct it.
And when it comes to trolls, just delete.
Using Social Media To Drive Customer Growth Is A Long-Term Strategy
Look, if you expect immediate results from social media, you’re going to lose out. Unless you find exactly that magic formula that will drive people to you fast (which usually happens at a huge loss), you’re going to have to put in consistent effort.
Over the long term, that consistent effort is sure to pay off in kind. Boosted search rankings, a stronger connection to your target market, and higher referral rates are all side effects of using social media. Those all help drive that solid customer growth.
