Social media is noisy. According to Forbes and Statista as of the first quarter of 2018, Facebook had 2.19 billion monthly active users as well as over 50 million business pages.
Twitter might have fewer users but, due to its layout and functionality, it’s even noisier than Facebook.
Then there’s Instagram, which is growing at an insane rate. In 2012, Instagram had “just” 50 million users. As of today, it has over 1 billion.
The thing is that, as difficult as it seems to get your posts and business noticed on social media, it’s doesn’t have to be – you just need to know what you’re doing. People will notice you, click on your links and share your content as long as you implement the correct social media strategy.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at what you need to do to make sure all eyes are on you on social media pages.
Images
Humans are very good at processing visual data. In fact, we process visuals 60X faster than text.
And check this out – tweets with images get retweeted 150 times more than tweets without them.
Images matter a lot on social media. If your post is just plain text without an image, it’s highly likely that no one will notice it.
It’s key that you stand out, and this is where images come in.
Not just any old image will do. In order to stand out, your image must resonate with your target audience.
For example, consider an aspirational image. People respond to aspirational images on social media because, when combined with a headline like “Live The Life You Want” it makes the person feel good about themselves and the world.
People have aspirations and if you can show them through visuals that you understand their aspirations and that your business can provide them, they’re going to respond.
Foundr is great at this. Have a look at one of their Instagram posts below:
Here are some types of images you could use in your social media campaigns:
- The product shot – Show people what you’ve got, but make sure to hire a pro photographer for this one
- The behind the scenes shot – Show your followers what’s going on off-camera. People love a glimpse into the everyday life of brands
- Quote graphics – Who doesn’t love an inspiring and motivational quote? These kinds of images can get shared like crazy
Whatever image you use, make sure you understand the required image dimensions first.
Infographics
Infographics have grown to be a key part of any good social media marketing campaign.
Why?
As mentioned above, humans process visual info so much faster than text – and this is what an infographic is, visual information.
Note: See related posts about Infographics here.
Data and numbers matter to people. It’s okay trying to tell something, but if you can just show them with raw data and numbers, you’ll get them to take action a lot faster.
Infographics look good, they offer lots of cool, easy to scan information, and they can help to position you as the go-to expert on a subject. If you want to overcome the uphill battle on getting noticed on social media, infographics are essential.
Nail The Headlines
Headlines matter so much on social media. Along with your eye-catching images, they’re the first thing that people notice. If your headlines are compelling and resonate with your target audience, you’ve got a great chance of standing out and being noticed.
Think about what makes you stop on social media and check something out – it’s often a strong headline. According to Forbes, 59% of us will share an article on social media simply based on its headline.
But what makes a good, standout headline?
- Keep your language simple but powerful
- Say something bold that you just know is going to grab people’s attention
- Include numbers. Numbers work because you’re leaving the realm of theory and guesswork and entering the world of accuracy – which your audience will appreciate
- Ask a weird question that causes people to stop scrolling down their newsfeed for a moment
- Create urgency. The fear of missing out is real!
Download Social Media Tools
Why do all the work yourself when there are tools that can help you out? In 2018, there is literally a tool for everything, and this applies to social media. Below are two very good social media marketing tools that you can use for your business:
BuzzSumo
BuzzSumo is surely used by every social media marketer in existence – it’s that good.
In a nutshell, it lets you find the content that gets shared the most on the Internet. In other words, it lets you create viral content of your own that people will read simply by letting you discover what content people love to share.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics – an entirely free tool from Google – lets you find out all kinds of information about your website.
How does Google Analytics work with social media? It lets you discover where your site visitors are coming from. In other words, which social media posts are working and which ones aren’t. When you have this kind of information, you can start to double down on what’s working and maximize the opportunities while moving on from what is not a good use of your business’s resources.
Go Live
We know – going live is nerve-wracking. The thing is, you really need to push beyond your nerves because going live on social media works. When you go live, your brand is suddenly real. It has a face – it’s active and in the flesh. No more will people question whether or not you’re “fake news” or a “scam”.
Instead, you’ll start building trust with people and better relationships. They’ll ask you questions on the spot and you can enjoy a laugh with them.
People remember live videos, they notice them when they pop up on their timeline, and Facebook even gives your followers a notification to tell them you’re live.
Moreover, people actually watch them. In fact, Facebook Live videos are watched 3 times more than pre-recorded videos.
Not sure what to make a live video of? Here are some tips:
- Host a Q&A – This is a great way to encourage engagement and position yourself as an expert
- Teach something – Is there something that you know your followers have been struggling with lately? A live video is your chance to teach them how to do it
- Stream an interview – Jump on a live video with a big name in your niche and stream an interview to both your audiences
- Announce a new product – What better way to announce a new product than with a live video?
- Announce news about your company – Believe it or not, people actually want to hear about your company and what you’re up to. Don’t be afraid of using live videos on social media to share important news
Of course, going live isn’t easy and you need to make sure you do all you can to mitigate risks so you don’t harm your brand.
Conclusion
All in all, social media can be a battle to be seen. It’s a war out there and you’ll be competing with lots of rivals. But as long as you do the right things and make it your mission to stand out – and as long as you don’t do anything silly or controversial that might harm your brand – you’ll be well on your way.
[Main Photo by Jill Wellington from Pexels]
Michelle is the Marketing Associate at Design Wizard. She spent four years studying Media Studies in Dublin Institute of Technology before completing her Master’s Degree in Marketing and Management in University College Cork. She’s delighted to work with such an exciting design software company and is eager to help Design Wizard continue to grow. Michelle is a dog lover. She enjoys going on hikes with her four-legged friend, traveling and going to the cinema (mainly for the treats).