How often should you post on social media?
Consistency is key when growing your audience. How often should you post? Aim for 3 to 5 times a week. This keeps your page active and engaging. Posting too rarely can make followers forget about you. Posting too often can overwhelm them.
What tools can help you stay consistent? Scheduling apps like Willow are excellent. They let you plan and prepare posts in advance. For example, you could set up Monday, Wednesday, and Friday posts every week. This way, you stick to your plan without stress.
Should you ever take breaks? Ideally, no. Long gaps, like skipping a week, will cause your engagement rates to drop. It’s better to post something simple than nothing at all.
Example: A local bakery posts three times per week: Monday about new products, Wednesday sharing baking tips, and Friday highlighting customer reviews. This keeps their followers looking forward to fresh content.
How can you provide valuable content for social media followers?
What makes content valuable? It answers questions and solves problems. Are you sharing knowledge that your audience finds useful? Think like a helpful expert. Your posts should help followers learn something new.
Where do you find content ideas? Start with common questions your customers ask. Turn those into weekly tip posts or Q&A videos. Also, share your blog articles or e-books to give detailed insights.
Be generous with your knowledge. People will appreciate your expertise and share your posts. For example, a fitness trainer might post weekly workout tips, nutrition advice, or myth busters. Such content builds trust and encourages followers to stay.
Example: A tech company shares quick fixes for common software issues. This makes their page a go-to resource.
Why is engaging on social media essential?
Social media is about conversations. So, how do you engage effectively? First, respond to every comment, tag, and share. Ignoring followers misses chances to build relationships.
Do you need to comment on other profiles? Yes. Engage with industry peers, customers, or local businesses. Leaving thoughtful comments and liking posts increases your visibility.
Should you follow others? Follow relevant accounts to attract followers back. But keep your follow-to-follower ratio balanced to avoid looking spammy.
Example: A coffee shop follows local food bloggers, comments on their posts, and shares their content. This support often earns reciprocal engagement.
What is the rule of thirds for social content?
How should you mix your content? The rule of thirds divides it into three parts: engagement, curated, and original content. This balance keeps your feed fresh and interesting.
Engagement content includes reposting employee stories or customer shout-outs. This connects your audience to real people.
Curated content means sharing news or articles from trusted sources. For example, a landscaping company shares eco-friendly gardening tips from industry leaders.
Original content is your own promos, tips, or event posts. For instance, a clothing brand might post a behind-the-scenes video of their design process.
Why vary content types? It prevents boredom and keeps your audience engaged. Using a colourful social media calendar, like Willow’s, helps visualise your posting mix.
How important are hashtags and how should you use them?
Why use hashtags? They help new users discover your posts. When someone follows a hashtag you use, your content appears in their feed. Aim for 3 to 5 hashtags per post. This is enough to reach a wider audience without looking spammy.
Should you use popular hashtags indiscriminately? No. Avoid generic tags like #like4like or #followback. These don’t attract valuable followers.
How do you find the best hashtags? Research industry-specific and local hashtags. For example, a florist might use #LondonFlorist, #WeddingFlowers, or #SeasonalBlooms.
Keep a hashtag list in Willow settings to quickly add them to posts.
Example: An art gallery uses hashtags like #ContemporaryArt and #ArtistSpotlight to reach art lovers and collectors.
How can employees help grow your social media?
Why involve your team? Employees extend your reach by sharing content with their personal followers. Imagine ten employees sharing one post with their 200 followers each. That’s 2,000 potential new viewers.
How else can employees contribute? Feature them in posts with stories or photos. Human content performs well because people relate to people.
Encourage teammates to like, comment, and share your posts. These actions boost your page’s visibility through social media algorithms.
Example: A software company highlights monthly employee achievements, increasing both team morale and audience engagement.
How do you tap into your real-life network?
Do your friends and family use social media? Invite them to follow or share your page. Their support creates an initial audience base.
How can you reach more local followers? Post about your business in community and industry groups. Mention your services casually in conversations to build awareness.
Why does this work? People trust recommendations from people they know. Leveraging your real-life network kickstarts your social media growth.
Example: A local café shares a special offer with a community Facebook group, attracting nearby customers.
Why tag locations and users in your posts?
What gets more reach? Tags. Tagging locations and relevant accounts increases the chance of your post being seen by a broader audience.
Who should you tag? Customers, suppliers, colleagues, or anyone mentioned or featured in your post. It shows appreciation and encourages reposts.
Can you encourage your followers to tag you? Yes. For example, ask them to tag your business in photos featuring your products. User-generated content builds trust and authenticity.
Example: A restaurant asks diners to tag them in Instagram stories and reposts the best photos.
How crucial are visuals in social media posts?
Why do visuals matter? Posts with images or videos get three times more engagement than text-only posts. Pictures grab attention and make your message clearer.
Should every post have a visual? Whenever possible, yes. Even simple product photos or graphics help your posts stand out.
What about video content? Videos perform exceptionally well. Short clips like tutorials or behind-the-scenes footage increase time spent on your posts.
Example: A pet store posts cute animal photos and short care tip videos, boosting likes and shares.
For more ideas on what to post, visit our post ideas article.
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