It sometimes feels that Social Media isn’t very social at all. As a small service-based business you can put a lot of time, effort, and resources into creating your online content with very little value returning from all that work. With the growing integration of the online world with our daily life, how can we make our time online more meaningful?
From a purely “resources in, resources out” sense, your social media behaviour is meaningful when it returns larger numbers, an increased following, increased interactions, and increased followers. But an increased number of followers doesn’t equate to an increased quality of interaction. Social Media can become an enriching space where you and your followers converse about important and impactful issues, address pressing concerns, and continue to learn new things from each other.
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linkedin want you to have meaningful conversations. Their algorithms are structured to privilege content that brings value to their users. The more meaningful content you bring to your social media marketing the more these platforms will spread the word on the great work you are doing.
Know Who You Are Talking To
The first step in having a meaningful online connection is to know who you are connecting with. Get to know your followers, your social media community, and similar brands. Discover where they are hanging out online and what they are talking about. Good conversation is a two-way street. Get to know the other side of this conversation and you will be better equipped to open the doors to meaningful interactions.
Create Engaging Content
Keep it real and focus on people
As someone who participates in the social media world, you are both the content creator and the audience. Consider what your content can bring to the table.
Just like holding conversations in real life, connection comes when two people show up and bring their authentic selves to the discussion. This is just as true for online content. When you create what you plan to share on social media, bring the aspects of your true self. Share images of real people connected to your business doing things that matter. Keep your content real and focused on people as a means to spark connection with your audience.
Ask questions, take a poll or survey
Have you ever sat across from someone and had the most amazing conversation? If you could step outside that moment and listen in to what was being said you would notice the role of questions. Questions get conversations going and help to keep them going. Create online content and captions that ask authentic questions. Inquire about your audience and their experience with a top. You can even post a poll or survey to get their direct feedback on a topic.
Ask for reviews
Another great way to receive meaningful conversations with your audience is to ask for reviews. Many platforms have options to collect reviews from your audience. Reach out and ask people to share their experiences and then respond authentically. Thank them for their feedback and humbly address any concerns that may come up. Show that you are open to both praise and criticism – this will build trust both in your brand and in you.
Go Live!
One of the most engaging ways to share content is through video. Video takes the viewer beyond the static image and into a multi-sensory experience. Create video content in which you bring up the topics you want to talk about and kick-off amazing interactions with your followers.
One of the most effective ways to have a conversation on social media is to go live. Live video is about as close to in-person interaction as we can get right now.Utilize services like Facebook or Instagram Live to have discussions in real time with your audience. Address questions and respond to challenges as they come up. Live video is one of the simplest ways to create content. Turn on your phone, tablet or laptop, and press the Go Live button, and start talking. The more value you bring to your love conversations, the more people will log in to hear what you have to say and join the discussion.
Engage With Others’ Content in a Meaningful Way
A quality conversation is a two-way-street. What you share as a skilled service provider is only half the discussion. In order to truly create meaningful content online you must also engage with other people and what they bring to the conversation. Just as you create opportunities to connect with the content you post, others are offering ways to enlist your perspective. Seek out what your followers, competition, and community are sharing online and comment, like, and repost their content in a meaningful way. Respond authentically and avoid the “Lazy Like” where you scroll through your feed tapping like on any post that looks remotely interesting.1 Hold to your desire for meaningful connection and engage with other people sincerely. This will foster a camaraderie and closeness that will deepen your interactions on Social Media.
Conclusion
Social media can seem like just a dumping ground for everyone’s biennial thoughts and adventures, but it can also be a space for connection, meaning, and support. Social media is what we make of it. Many small businesses fall into the hole of producing online content but miss out on the potential for building relationships. Bring meaningful engagement into the pillars of your Social Media Marketing plan, enrich your return on investment, and deepen your connection with your online community.
If you want more guidance or are looking for support in managing your digital marketing, book a Discovery Call now. We can help you bring your services to those who need them most.
- Deol, G. (2020, September 16). How to have more meaningful interactions on social media. LinkedIn. Retrieved May 7, 2022, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-have-more-meaningful-interactions-social-media-gurleen-deol/
