Way back in the archaic social media age of 2012 (crazy how quick everything changes, isn’t it) businesses and organizations were transfixed on how many Twitter followers they had lost or gained in a given month.
Since most business owners or company leaders were (and I know of some still) living in the dark ages where they needed to see concrete and traceable social media ROI statistics, follower or fan increases were the panacea.
Did they care who those followers were? Nope. Did they care what their followers were talking about? Absolutely not.
All that mattered is that there were more of them.
This is the worst possible way to look at your social media situation and, sadly, still a mainstay for many businesses I have come in contact with.
What do you want to focus on? What you already have. By focusing on your core group of fans who actually care about what your business or organization is all about, they can help you spread your word through good old fashioned conversation.
Here are four quick tips to get more engagement out of your Twitter followers.
Pay attention to what your followers are talking about
When was the last time you sat down and went through your company Twitter account’s Twitter feed? If you can’t remember, it’s been way too long. Take the time to see what other people are talking about and see if there are appropriate ways for you to join in on the conversation.
Perhaps one of your followers is talking about a new restaurant down the street from your store or maybe one of them is wondering about that upcoming festival you may have some information on. Don’t hesitate to jump in.
Search for terms that matter to you
Another way to get in on engagement is to actively search for what people are talking about. If you have an online jewelry store, well, it’s not a bad idea to search for terms like “shopping online” or “online jewelry.” Will you get a ton of hits? Absolutely, but sometimes you can find someone to interact with on a fun and personable level, like so:
@rothwell_zoey you can always visit our online shop 😉 http://t.co/4jc2CFcKM7
— Artfully Elegant (@ArtfullyElegant) August 22, 2015
Stay away from automation
Is it okay to schedule out your Facebook or Twitter posts? Sure.
Is it something you want to rely on? Nope.
Why? Because, just like tying your Twitter account to your Facebook feed (which is something we’ll get into another time) automating your social media posts will make you lazy. Customers will know right away that you don’t respond if you’re simply putting up tweets on a scheduled basis. Take the time to go in and post at least once per day on your own. It will get you into the conversation much more than simply scheduling the posts in the morning and then listening to Spotify all day at your desk.
Make friends before you make customers
Consumers are more savvy than ever. They know when you are selling to them and they can spot your tweet a mile away. The best way to get them to look at your products, upcoming events, or special deals, is to engage with them on a level that goes beyond the typical advertising route. By engaging with your followers, customers, and potential customers, you will earn their trust and, ultimately, their business.
Contact Lehigh Valley with Love Media, LLC for more information on how we can help your business engage with current and future followers.