8 Tips for Leveraging Social Media Engagement in 2013

Diving into the New Year, we all want to find ways to increase our social presence online.  For one, everyone jumps on the social media bandwagon, and post, share and like what interests them. For this, a social frenzy is created.

What's important to understand is not only the way you connect with the audience, but also the value it brings to your business.  By introducing a smart approach and integrating an effective marketing strategy, your chances to becoming a social media rock star are much greater.

Expand your marketing campaign, and shoot to the top of social media stardom.  To learn more check out our free ebook "The Social Media Tune Up" and combine these 8 social media tips to increase your social awareness.

Influence your Connections with Social Media Engagement

Your audience is your number one fan.  There is a reason why they connected with you.  For this, anything you recommend will most likely engage them to click on, or even share more frequently than a social media ad.  Obviously work is involved in cultivating your following, but once you have them, it gives people reasons to talk, and spread the word across the social media sphere.

Additionally, one important aspect to pay attention to is that you need to stay engaged with your consumers.  People love interaction, so make sure you reach the consumer on all social media levels, keep generating interesting content and create a consistent presence online. This will continue to keep them engaged, but also convince them you're not going anywhere.

Tip # 1 Connecting with your audience is key!! You want them to stay engaged, not turned off, so keep it interesting, current and encourage them to share.

Looking Outside Facebook for Social Media

Due to the popularity of marketing on Facebook, it's often common that marketers and business owners overlook other valuable platforms. There are other social media platforms that are just as effective to drive leads and convert the sale.  So to start, you need to think outside the box nd look to outlets like Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest, Google+, and Instagram to channel your marketing strategy.

Expanding your reach benefits the brand to broadcast more efficiently.  So spreading yourself thin isn't going to get the job done. It becomes apparent what you need to do to reach your audience, and that is extend your presence through other social media platforms.

Look outside the box to connect with you audience...

Tip # 2 Don't spread yourself thin, build intuitive and engaging content and distribute it through multiple platforms such as Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest. 

Increase Mobile Reach

With some many devices out there, it's important to ensure that your consumers are able to access your site without any complications.  Mobile technology has changed the way people use social media platforms, and for this, companies have to maximize opportunities to adapt and meet the needs of the consumer.

Think about it, our society continues to evolve in mobile interaction, so it's only smart to connect and provide them with the tools to do so.  Make sure your brand can be reached with the accessibility of any mobile device.  You don't want a consumer to turn away, because your company does not come across well.

We're a society that depends on mobile, so it's kinda of a no brainier….

Tip # 3 As mobile devices on not going anyway, it's intuitive to implement a mobile strategy 

Increase your Emotional Impact on Social Media

The idea is to create exceptional content, and reel your audience in by connecting with their emotional side.  So are you wondering why this works? Well, lets face it, less and less people relate to content with no positive or useful information and value in it, and just posting an article just to post, decreases your chances to pull them in.

Consider this, keep it positive and less boring, and inject more emotion into content you post or blog online.  As you identify with the consumer at this level, you'll then offer them compelling offers.  Ideally, if you put yourself in their shoes, your on your way to understanding what they need, and creating effective marketing strategies becomes easier.

Get closer to what matters, your audience….

Tip # 4 Know what your consumers want to hear, and create and design a marketing strategy that connects with your audience's emotional side. 

Building customer loyalty on Social Media

Your audience doesn't want to be bombarded with ads and promotions, as they'll probably turn away.  Instead, develop engaging content that provides intuitive product reviews and videos tutorials that explains and details how it works.  As this is helpful to the consumer, it also increases them to decide if the product or service is right for them sooner rather than later.  You'd be surprised how much more they become engaged versus speaking to them with a promotional ad.

Skip the mumbo jumbo, and speak with value….

Tip # 5 I can't explain how important loyalty is, so developing helpful content like testimonials, reviews and tutorials will not only keep them engaged, but also keep them devoted followers. 

Using Photos to Engage on Social Media

Imagine your scrolling aimlessly on Facebook, and no articles catch your eye.  Out of nowhere you spot an image, you click on it, and if there is interest, you read more.

The point is, our eyes are always prone and directed to photographs regardless of what the image is.  The best thing any marketer can do for the brand is to attach photos or artwork to articles, and as this engages the audience, the content will take care of the rest.

Additionally, with the growth of smartphones or mobile devices, it's easy to take pictures, and with platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, it enables businesses to share and boost their social media awareness into overdrive.  It's important to remember that photographs serve as eye popping and attention grabbing engagement, and by attaching them, you'll attract more social interaction and action to take place with your audience.

Be humorous, creative and artistic with Photographs!!!

Tip # 6 Photos pull the consumer in… By using Instagram and Pinterest, develop strategic content around photos to increase visibility in blogs and posts on Facebook.

Utilizing Email on Social Media

Even though email through social media has a lower conversion rate than email,  it's important to focus on building your social engagement. Social media's popularity speaks for itself, but because the environment can be difficult to deepen and continue those relationships, you'll need to focus on investing intuitive ways to strengthen your efforts. It not hard, you just have to keep one thing in mind, and that is continuing a strong relationship with your consumers.

By introducing effective communication such as consumers personas, accessible & location savvy registration forms, social proof, valuable ebooks for free, and of course frequent blogging.  Remember your consumers love value, and If you keep these in mind, you'll be on your way to build effective communication to your prospects and the most important thing, a strong relationship.

Email lists are powerful!!! So find those ways to connect and grow with your audience….

Tip # 7 Develop innovating ways to communicate to you audience, don't just post articles, step it up and speak to your consumers with value.

Sharing on Social Media

In expanding your reach, it's important to keep in mind the facets of sharing.  Fundamentally, you want to drive the consumer back to the website and give them an experience the won't forget.  It starts by introducing smart and engaging content to your social media platform, and remember to be creative, add clever headlines to grab the attention of your audience.

From there, don't forget to add sharing and "like" buttons to posts/blogs, this will encourage more social media interaction and connect to those outside your circle.

Next, make sure you post frequently, respond to them, and even schedule posts outside of work hours, to continue interaction and interest with your audience.

With so many doing the same thing, it's funny how fast you will lose a reputable image and be forgotten.  To set you aside from most, create eye catching posts with images to attract your consumers, and prevent them from scrolling right over you.  Considering all these elements, you will be on your way to generating inbound traffic, but the icing on the cake is the experience your consumers will get out of it.

If you build it, they'll share it….

Tip # 8  Keep in mind that "Content is King"!!! Improve you inbound marketing, create appealing ways to engage with consumers.