Social media isn’t just a current trend – it’s been a goldmine for millions of brands for over a decade. With 27% of all internet users actively searching for products to buy while scrolling through their favorite social media feeds, it’s a massive opportunity you can’t afford to miss.
But getting started can feel quite overwhelming. How do you really tap into social media’s marketing potential without feeling lost in the noise? What if your investment doesn’t yield the desired outcome?
Don’t worry – we’ve got your back.
We’ve been in your shoes, and we’ve cracked the code. In this article, through eight game-changing tips, you’ll learn how to build a strong online presence, connect with your audience, and drive real results.
Let’s jump right in and turn those likes into leads and followers into loyal customers
1. Establish a Social Media Voice That Aligns with Your Brand Values
For brands new to social media, finding your voice is like discovering your superpower. It’s not just about what you say, but how you say it.
A consistent, authentic voice that reflects your brand values helps you stand out in the crowded social media landscape and connect with your target audience on a deeper level.
Here’s how to establish a strong, consistent social media voice:
- Define your brand’s personality. Are you quirky and fun or serious and professional? Maybe you’re a bit of both. Whatever it is, make sure it aligns with your brand values and resonates with your audience.
- Create a voice chart. This handy tool outlines your brand’s tone, language, and messaging style. Include do’s and don’ts, sample phrases, and even emojis if they fit your brand.
- Share your voice chart with everyone who might post on your social accounts to ensure consistency.
- Be bold and inject some personality into your posts. Use humor, tell stories, or share behind-the-scenes glimpses that showcase your brand’s human side. People like to connect with people, not faceless corporations.
Let’s look at a real-world example of this strategy:
Shay & Blue, a brand that creates cruelty-free unisex fragrances, perfectly aligns their voice with their brand values of freedom, self-expression, carefree attitude, and uniqueness.
Their social media feeds are a vibrant showcase of creative individuals wearing their perfumes while expressing themselves through art, work, and life. Each post, whether a photo or video, carries messages and captions that echo their brand voice.
Source: instagram.com
Shay & Blue’s consistent voice creates a cohesive brand experience. You can do the same by:
- Identifying your core values
- Translating those values into a distinct voice
- Consistently applying that voice across all your social media content
Follow these steps, and you’ll attract the right customers who resonate with your message.
2. Focus on Messages That Communicate Your Value Proposition
When they stumble upon your social media profiles, your audience should quickly grasp what you’re all about. What are you offering? Why should they choose you over the competition?
This isn’t true only for your posts – it should encompass your entire social media presence.
It’s a great tactic because refining your value proposition can boost your conversion rates by 33.8%. So, by clearly communicating what makes you unique, you’re not just attracting more followers – you’re turning them into customers.
Here’s how to best communicate your value proposition:
- Boil down your value proposition to its essence. What problem do you solve? How do you make your customers’ lives better?
- Once you’ve nailed this, weave it into your social media strategy.
- Use your bio or “About” sections to clearly state what you offer. Similarly, you can pin a post that showcases your unique selling points.
- Create content that demonstrates your value, whether it’s how-to videos, customer testimonials, or before-and-after posts.
- Be consistent with your value proposition through everything you post, from your captions to your visuals.
DialMyCalls, a bulk messaging and emergency text messaging system, mastered the art of communicating their value proposition across all their social platforms.
On YouTube, their cover photo instantly tells visitors what they do.
Source: youtube.com
On LinkedIn, Facebook, and X, they use their intro sections to clearly spell out their value.
Source: linkedin.com
Source: facebook.com
Source: x.com
This way, DialMyCalls ensures that no matter which platform a potential customer lands on, they immediately understand what the company offers and why it’s valuable.
You can replicate this success by:
- Crafting a clear, concise value proposition
- Adapting it to fit each social platform’s format
- Consistently reinforcing it in your content
Messages that clearly communicate your value proposition help potential customers understand your brand better. Ultimately, this leads to increased engagement and higher conversion rates.
3. Prioritize Content That Showcases Your Products
As a social media newbie, you need to make a strong first impression. Followers need to see what you offer to understand your brand and differentiate you from the competition.
Prioritizing content that highlights your products ensures potential customers get a clear and immediate sense of what you’re selling. When followers see your products regularly, they start to recognize and remember your brand.
Also, showcasing your products can drive interest and engagement, as people are naturally drawn to visually appealing content.
Here’s how to effectively showcase your products on social media:
- Create a content calendar that puts your products front and center.
- Mix it up with different types of posts, such as high-quality product photos, demo videos or reels, customer testimonials with product shots, or behind-the-scenes peeks at your production process.
- Use features like highlights and pinned content to keep your key offers easily accessible.
- Highlight how your products solve problems or improve lives. Use captions to tell the story behind each product and why it’s special.
Pinch, a mobile concierge med spa company, is on point with their Instagram game when it comes to showcasing their offers.
They use story highlights, reels, and pinned content to give their followers and temporary “lurkers” a clear picture of their services. Their content prominently features the process of their treatments and highlights satisfied customers.
Source: instagram.com
Pinch understands that in the beauty and wellness industry, seeing is believing. They use visual content to demystify their services and showcase the positive experiences of their clients.
Follow their method and:
- Create diverse content that highlights different aspects of your products
- Use each platform’s features strategically to keep your best product content visible
- Focus on the benefits and results, not just the features
This approach allows you to build trust by showing real results while showcasing your products.
4. Frame Your Brand as Knowledgeable and Helpful
Being a source of valuable information isn’t just nice, it’s a powerful way to drive sales. For brands new to social media, this is your secret weapon. As a matter of fact, 78% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands they see as helpful.
When you consistently provide helpful content, you come off as a problem-solver. You’re building trust, and in the crowded social media landscape, trust is gold.
Here’s how to become the go-to helpful brand in your niche:
- Start by really understanding your audience. What keeps them up at night? What challenges do they face?
- Once you’ve got this, create content that directly addresses these pain points. This can include:
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- How-to posts or videos
- Industry insights or tips
- Answers to common questions in your posts
- Q&A sessions or live streams
- Free resources or guides
Remember, the goal is to provide value first and sell second.
Classical Guitar Shed, an online guitar learning course, mastered the art of being helpful across their social platforms.
They understand that their audience is hungry for knowledge. That’s why they don’t just promote their services but give away tons of valuable content for free.
On Instagram, they regularly post quick tips and advice on guitar techniques.
Source: instagram.com
But it’s their YouTube channel that really shines. They’ve created a treasure trove of comprehensive lessons and tutorials, attracting hundreds of thousands of views and likes.
Source: youtube.com
This tactic helps them build trust and positions them as experts in their field. Implement the same by:
- Gathering your audience’s top questions or challenges.
- Creating a mix of quick tips and in-depth content.
- Using different formats (text, images, or videos) to cater to various learning styles.
- Consistently delivering high-quality, actionable advice.
So, be the brand that solves problems, and you’ll win loyal customers in return.
5. Embrace Social Media as Support Platforms
Every public support interaction is a chance to show off your stellar customer service. Knowing that 67% of customers find it convenient to reach out for support on social media, this can be a huge opportunity for brands, especially those just starting out.
This tactic is all about building trust, showing transparency, and proving you care. When potential customers see you actively helping others, they’re more likely to choose you over competitors.
Here’s how to turn your social platforms into support powerhouses:
- Monitor your accounts regularly for questions or concerns.
- Respond promptly – aim for within an hour during business hours.
- Be friendly and personable in your responses.
- If the issue is complex, offer to continue the conversation privately.
- Follow up publicly to show the issue was resolved.
The goal here is to make your customers feel heard and valued.
Escort Radar, a brand specializing in radar detectors and dash cams, nails this method, especially on Facebook.
They make it a priority to help customers who comment on their posts with all kinds of requests. They don’t wait for direct messages but actively engage with comments, turning their Facebook page into a vibrant support hub.
Source: facebook.com
This works because Escort Radar understands that public support interactions are a powerful marketing tool. By addressing concerns openly and efficiently, they help their customers and show all their followers that they’re responsive and caring.
You can achieve this by:
- Training your social media team in customer service skills
- Creating a FAQ document for quick, consistent responses
- Setting up a system to track and follow up on all support requests
- Celebrating positive resolution stories on your platforms
So, demonstrate your dedication to customer service and you’ll get a chance at building a trustworthy and reliable brand image.
6. Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin at the Start of Your Journey
When you’re starting with social media marketing, it’s tempting to jump on every platform out there. But quality beats quantity every time. Focusing on one platform at the start is both smart and strategic.
This allows you to master one platform before moving to the next. You’ll learn the ins and outs, understand what content works best, and build a solid following. Plus, you’ll avoid the burnout that comes from trying to be everywhere at once.
Here’s how to pick the right platform and make it work for you:
- Research where your target audience hangs out most.
- Study that platform’s best practices and features and create a content strategy tailored to that platform.
- Post consistently – quality and frequency matter.
- Engage actively with your followers.
- Track your performance and adjust as needed.
Here’s a brand that’s active only on one social platform – Pergola Kits USA, a company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble pergola kits and pavilion kits.
Their website only promotes their Facebook page, and their activity there shows they’re all in on this platform. They’ve created a vibrant community where they share product photos, customer installations, and helpful tips.
Source: facebook.com
By focusing only on Facebook, Pergola Kits USA is able to tailor their content perfectly for their audience. They understand the platform’s algorithm, they know what types of posts get the most engagement, and they’ve built a loyal following.
You can do the same by:
- Choosing the platform that best fits your brand and audience
- Investing time in creating high-quality, platform-specific content
- Building relationships with your followers through consistent engagement
- Using the platform’s unique features to their fullest potential
Remember, it’s better to have a strong presence on one platform than a weak presence on many. So, start small, excel on one platform, and then expand when you’re ready. Your focused efforts will pay off in engagement, loyalty, and, ultimately, sales.
7. Actively Drive Traffic from Your Website to Your Social Media Accounts
Your website can be a powerful tool to boost your social presence. By guiding website visitors to your social platforms, you’re expanding your reach and giving them more ways to engage with your brand.
Let’s explore two effective strategies to make this happen.
Feature Prominent Links on All of Your Webpages
Placing clear, easily accessible links to your social media accounts on your website is essential. But you shouldn’t just slap the links in a corner and call it a day. This technique is all about making them impossible to miss.
Here’s how to give your social media links the spotlight they deserve:
- Use recognizable social media icons.
- Place links in consistent locations (header, footer, or sidebar).
- Ensure the links are large enough to click easily on mobile devices.
- Use contrasting colors to make the icons stand out.
- Include CTA (call to action) buttons like “Follow us on social media.”
Let’s look at Raintree Nursery, a company selling fruit trees, for inspiration.
Their website footer features easily recognizable social media icons with plenty of empty space around them. This approach makes the icons stand out and invites clicks.
Source: raintreenursery.com
We can see that this brand understands that most users expect to find social links in the footer.
By following this convention and making the icons visually appealing, they’re making it easy and attractive for visitors to connect with them on social platforms.
Provide a Glimpse of Your Social Media Feed on Your Website
Showcasing your social media content directly on your website can entice visitors to follow you. It gives them a taste of what they’ll get by connecting with you on social platforms.
Here’s how to implement this effectively:
- Choose a prominent spot on your homepage for the feed.
- Display recent, high-quality posts that represent your brand well.
- Ensure the feed is mobile-responsive.
- Include a clear call-to-action to follow you on the platform.
- Keep the feed updated automatically to show fresh content.
Dutchmen, an RV and travel trailers brand, executes this strategy brilliantly.
Their homepage features a grid of their latest Instagram posts, giving visitors a sneak peek of their social content.
Source: dutchmen.com
With a “window” to their Instagram feed, Dutchmen showcases their product in action and gives website visitors a reason to follow them on social media. It’s a visual invitation to engage with their brand beyond the website.
8. Adopt Different Content Strategies for Different Platforms
We’ve already mentioned that each social platform has its own vibe, user base, and content sweet spot. What works on TikTok can easily flop on LinkedIn. For brands that have just joined social media, understanding these differences is key to making a splash on each platform.
By tailoring your content to each platform, you’re speaking the language your audience expects to hear there. This boosts engagement, increases your reach, and ultimately drives better results.
Here’s how to craft a multi-platform strategy:
- Research each platform’s audience demographics.
- Understand the content types that perform best on each platform.
- Adjust your tone and messaging to fit each platform’s culture.
- Use platform-specific features (like stories on Instagram and polls on X).
- Track performance on each platform separately and tweak as needed.
Infraredi, an Australian brand selling red light therapy machines, is a textbook example of solid platform-specific content strategies.
On Facebook, Infraredi promotes blog content with longer, more informative captions. This strategy plays well into Facebook’s strength as a content distribution platform, where users are more likely to engage with in-depth information.
Source: facebook.com
Meanwhile, their Instagram strategy is all about visual appeal. They showcase their products in aspirational settings, using short captions. This approach taps into Instagram’s image-centric nature and users’ preference for quick, visually engaging content.
Source: instagram.com
It’s clear that Infraredi understands that Facebook users are often looking for more detailed information, while Instagram users are scrolling for visual inspiration. Therefore, they adapt their content to these different user behaviors and maximize engagement on both platforms.
You can achieve similar success by:
- Analyzing your audience on each platform
- Creating platform-specific content calendars
- Experimenting with different content types on each platform.
- Consistently reviewing and adjusting your strategy based on performance
Lastly, know that it’s not about being everywhere. It’s about being everywhere that matters, in the right way.
Final Thoughts
You’ve got the tools; now it’s time to combine strategy, consistency, and authenticity. These eight tips can be your roadmap to achieving that mission.
Now is the time to leverage the power of social media to tell your story, connect with your audience, and grow your brand. So don’t wait any longer – take these strategies and start making your mark on social media today.
Featured image by Pixabay.