You Are Not A Number… How To Engage Your Social Media Audience
As a Social Media Manager I know it can be easy to forget that every follower on every single one of your social networks represents a real person. Just think about that for a moment. If you have 20,000 followers on Facebook then you have 20,000 real people with likes, dislikes, interests and of course the potential to become one of your clients!
The key to successful social media management is to work towards the big picture whilst also realising that it’s the small pictures that will get you there!
So how do you engage with your followers so they know they are not just a number but an integral part of your brand? Here are some of my favourite ways to make my followers feel special.
Talk To Your Followers
We don’t know nearly enough about our social media follower but it’s something that we can begin to rectify by asking questions. I like to ask questions on my networks so that I can get to know my followers which of course in turn means that I can better target my message to their needs. There are lessons to be learnt from all types of discussions. For example… ask your followers what they are doing on the weekend and you will gain an insight into how they like to spend their time, their characteristics, how they spend their money and what they are really interested in. Devise a poll on a social page asking followers for their opinion on your products and services and remember to actually listen to their opinions.
Incentivise Your Fans
As a Social Media Manager it is important to incentivise your followers because this is one of the reasons they will keep coming back to your page for more. I hear every CEO take a sharp intake of breath at this point but relax… in the words of Jessie J It’s not about the money! Rewards come in all shapes and sizes and could include mentioning a follower who has a birthday or an achievement or offering a unique social media discount for your product or service. Another idea is to offer an incentive for a positive review or testimonial… your followers will enjoy being rewarded for their feedback.
Remember Your Audience
One of the problems with social media today is that we collect people like stamps. Try not to get so caught up in campaign management, statistics and analysis that you forget your followers…. they are real people and are the ones putting you at the top. Once you have engaged with a fan don’t forget about them, try to connect with them again- Twitter is a great place to do this. As an example I have a follower who likes to go rock climbing at weekends so I like to tweet him on Mondays and ask him for a cool mountainside photo which I always get back. Another fan loves coffee so I share a picture of a fancy cappuccino with him in the mornings. It takes two seconds but it is actions like this that will build a bond between your brand and your followers which in turn will make them more inclined to use your services in the future.
How do you make your fans feel special? Tweet me and let me know!
