6 Ways to Increase your Business’s Social Media Reach

Social media has changed a lot in the past few years! Algorithms have been updated and businesses have to spend a lot more money to get the reach they once had. Gone are the days of easy organic cost-free social media reach. But it’s not all bad news for businesses trying to cut costs.

There are still so many positives about choosing social media as an advertising platform. Just think of the huge accessibility of social media ads! People from across the world can see your brand and engage with your business right from their phone. So don’t fret about the algorithm changes, there’s plenty of things you and your business can do to maximise your social media advertising reach:

1. Understand the algorithms

It’s important to have a strategy that matches an algorithm. Each social media platform is a little different, so your strategy should differ between platforms too. At Facebook, algorithms preference posts by friends and family, so these will outweigh any business or page. Information and finally entertainment generally follow posts by friends and family. Instagram organises posts by individuals interests and preferences, who is posting it and how recently it was posted. Over at Twitter, important or “the best” tweets are shown at the top of your feed, followed by timely tweets. Understanding the difference will help you tailor your posts accordingly. You shouldn’t be posting the same thing across every platform– get creative!

2. Work with influencers

Social media influencers (high-profile people with large followers) have big reach across social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. Getting your product featured or endorsed by the right influencer can go a lot further than a post on your own page. The key is selecting the right influencer. You need to find someone that fits into your brand and values. Be wary of influencers that ‘sell out’ or endorse too many products. This ruins credibility and consumers don’t like this. You’d rather chose someone with less followers but a respected name then a high-profile person who always posts product endorsements. Approach them, and work out a deal.

3. Set a smart budget

If you really want your brand to grow, chances are you’re going to have to put a bit of money behind it. Sponsored content and boosted posts are social media marketing 101. But if you’re smart about which posts you boost, you won’t be much out of pocket. Boost the post that you think will really resonate with your target audience. This often isn’t a basic advert showcasing a product, but rather a more personal post that people can relate to. A recent study showed that Instagram posts were three times more likely to be remembered than regular online ads. If Facebook isn’t working well for you, maybe switch your budget over to Instagram.

4. Share other people’s content

Remember, social media is never just about you! It’s called ‘social’ for a reason. Get active and interact with other users, particularly similar or like-minded brands. If you like what you see, repost it and get the conversation rolling. Get to know your audience and share things you think they might like. You don’t want to do this too often, as after all it is your brand. But make sure you make other people an integral part of your page. It’s more relatable and easy for people to be active with your page.

5. Experiment with video and stories

Videos are red-hot right now. Viewers love them, so you should be posting them. Next time you’re taking a photo, think about whether it would make a better video, or be used as both. Live videos work great within newer algorithms and are sure to go a long way with your followers. Stories are getting bigger and bigger on both Facebook and Instagram. Show your followers what you are working on over stories. Keep it light, exciting and real. It’s likely to be a hit.

6. Work within micro-communities

The online social world is HUGE and there are communities forming around just about anything. If your business is a local coffee, work within the large coffee community on social media. If you sell shoes, you’ll be surprised at how many shoe-wear communities there are on social media! Use and follow hashtags to do with your community and connect with like minded people. Avoid general hashtags and generic followers as there is unlikely to offer any real engagement. Get involved with your online community and watch your page grow!