5 Free Ways to Boost Your Social Media Marketing
If your social media marketing budget is nonexistent, but you’re still trying to succeed online, you’ll have to get creative. There are a million options across all of the networks when it comes to paid advertising, paying for views and paying for followers. This doesn’t mean that you can’t still be successful. It just means that you need to consider the things that will help your business stand out and then focus your time and energy on them. These things will go a long way to putting you ahead of your competition and helping you to be visible to customers.
Visuals
Focus on visual content. If your posts don’t contain some sort of visual, it’s likely that they aren’t going to be noticed at all. There are plenty of free tools that allow you to create terrific visuals. Canva is one of these sites and I highly recommend it. There are pre made layouts to choose from as well as a variety of photos, fonts, styles and more. They also have the layouts premade with the correct dimensions for each specific social media platform.
Consistency
Posting relevant content that is appealing to your viewers is key. Doing this on a regular and consistent basis is what is going to keep you steadily growing. It will also increase your chances of developing a great rapport with followers. Don’t post repeatedly and then drop off the earth for three weeks. Be consistent and the followers will continue to come.
Original Content
This is the one thing that none of your competition will have. Anything that you create is unique to you and your business. Whether this is a video, an article, or a photo –original content is huge. Not only are you standing out to your followers, but you are also giving them something that no one else can. Consider writing an article about something related to your industry, your specific company, or a relevant topic. Take a video featuring employees or with testimonials from past clients. Be creative –the sky is the limit here.
Specials and Offers
Your page, your business, your rules. If you want to offer followers 20% off for checking in or for leaving a review, do it! You have to decide what specials or offers you want to give, but everyone loves a good deal. Each different social media site has specific rules and guidelines if you are looking to run a contest or a promotion. Coupons for your customers are a great free way to encourage engagement and actual traffic.
Interaction
The best way to encourage interaction is to be interactive. Engage with your followers. Ask questions, ask for opinions, and respond to comments and messages. You are building a relationship with an online community. Relationships take effort. You’ll have to put some time and energy in, but you can build a community and a following for free if you stay engaged.
Social media marketing does not have to come with a huge budget that extends beyond management. While paid advertising can certainly increase your stats, the good old fashioned way is free and effective as well. It takes more creativity, patience, and dedication –but it is worth it in the end. What are your favorite free ways to boost marketing efforts? What are your thoughts on paid advertising? Comment below!
Breanne Bannon
Breanne is a Content Writer, Social Media Marketeer, and Sales Associate for Sprocket Websites.
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