It’s one thing to create a social media strategy, it’s another to implement one.
In a vast landscape filled with dozens of channels and countless strategies promising boundless engagement, the task can seem daunting.
The ever-evolving nature of social media often leaves us struggling to keep pace, leading to posting fatigue or resorting to familiar content and approaches. Yet, amidst the constant whirlwind of change and new tech infrastructure (Threads anyone?), certain tactics persist – delivering greater engagement, brand visibility and opportunities for positive reputation building for those who consistently use them.
Read on for some back-to-basics social media tactics that have stood the test of time.
Listen and engage
At the cornerstone of any successful social media strategy lies genuine engagement. By actively listening to your audience and participating in relevant conversations, you not only foster a sense of community but demonstrate your commitment to understanding and serving their needs.
React to comments and respond to @mentions and new shares whenever you can. Celebrate the successes of your peers by acknowledging their achievements or spotlighting great work via a quick share or comment. Also known as social listening, this positive engagement has a series of flow-on effects, including greater audience resonance and positive brand awareness.
Be responsive
Timely responses are crucial. Aim to address queries within 48 hours (although sooner is better as people expect instantaneous interactions on social media) and consider transferring complex issues to private message or email for better follow-up. Assign dedicated team members to monitor social media inboxes and communicate timelines for resolving queries that require further action.
Mention yourself, regularly!
Don’t be shy to mention your social content on other channels – think EDMs and blog posts. There’s so much content out there that even your most loyal fans might miss yours occasionally. An additional link or mention in another channel will ensure there’s more than one touchpoint for audience engagement. At Zadro, we go by the ‘write one, use thrice!’ method.
Don’t be selfish
Instead of always asking for something – a registration, a donation, feedback, or purchase – focus on giving to your audience, with no strings attached. Provide value to your audience by delivering them content that meets their needs and interests (sans a call to action). Some ideas include:
- Quick tips or a ‘Did you know?’ – check out this one
- Behind-the-scenes takes
- How-to guides
- Quotes (related to your industry or offering) – such as this
- Infographics
- Resource recommendations
- Educational videos
- Employee/member spotlights
Less is more
It’s tempting to have a presence on every social media channel – all the time. However, try to resist the temptation! Identify where your audience is most engaged and prioritise those channels. Utilise platform insights to better understand audience demographics and behaviour, and optimise your social media presence accordingly.
Hot tip → To better understand your audience demographics and behaviour (e.g. the median age of your target audience and engagement)) head to your channel’s performance settings. For Facebook and Instagram, this is in the Meta Business Suite. LinkedIn has its own insights via ‘Analytics’ and for X, you’ll need to activate analytics here.
Define your goals
Before posting to social media, ask yourself: what is my goal? Is it to increase positive brand awareness? Inform? Or engage? Get clear on your primary objective and ensure your captions, graphics and calls to action (CTA) are created with this in mind.
By using these social media tactics, you can navigate the dynamic landscape of social media with confidence – and drive tangible results from your strategy!
Get in touch with Zadro today to chat all things social media, including how you can optimise your digital presence for greater success.
