Maddy Washburn July 11, 2018

How to Use Social Media to Grow Your Business

With quick-changing technology and new features being released constantly, keeping up with the world of social media can be daunting. But when used properly, sites like Instagram and YouTube can help grow your business to new heights. Whether it’s adapting to new algorithms or learning new features, here’s how to use social media to grow your business.

How to Use Social Media to Grow Your Business

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

Nearly every social media site is structured as a visual platform. From photos in your feed or timeline to videos on YouTube, content is king. While the simple solution may seem like the more content you post then the more exposure you’ll get, this is not the answer.

If you’re posting just okay content, you won’t get the same engagement as something you post that you put thought, time and energy into. Instagram also recently gave us some insight into their own algorithm – noting interest, timeliness, and relationship as the three main factors.

ENGAGE

With the arrival of algorithms in the last year, sites like Facebook and Instagram have seen quite a large drop in likes and engagement overall. One way to combat this is to engage yourself! See a post that you like in your feed? Comment (using five or more words) and try to make it personal such as “I love that dress! Revolve is one of my favorite brands too!”

This recent algorithm is also rumored to take advantage of your first hour after posting. During this time period, we recommend responding to comments as soon as possible. It can also help to go to their page and show them some love as well.

Not only should you be engaging on Instagram, but other sites as well. Scroll through your Facebook feed and engage with some interesting posts. Leave some comments on your favorite YouTube creator’s channel about what you love in their videos. The more active and engaged YOU are, the more engaged your audience will be.

STAY CURRENT

Social media platforms are always updating their sites.

Whether it’s a simple bug fix or a brand new feature, staying up to date with these new releases can help you stay ahead of the curve. Even a simple interface update like Snapchat does every so often is important and you’ll be forced to adapt overnight. Instagram recently released its newest feature, IGTV and some of the top creators have already jumped on the bandwagon and posted content.

Even if you post something quick and simple, don’t be afraid to play around with these fun features. Once you know them better, you can also use them to your advantage to help grow your account and your followers.

OPTIMIZE YOUR CONTENT

Each social media site serves a different purpose, along with different formatting as well. This means you also need to optimize your content for each platform. For example, you wouldn’t post a video from your Instagram Stories to your YouTube channel because the format would be totally wrong going from vertical to horizontal.

You might also edit your photos different depending on if you’re posting them to Instagram, Facebook or even Twitter. This is another reason we recommend sticking to three or fewer platforms to focus on, otherwise, you’ll be stuck editing all day long. Before you upload your content, double check to make sure it’s the right size, length and format for the platform you’re using.

GET NETWORKING

One of the most fun parts of social media is that it’s really meant for us to be SOCIAL. It’s a little crazy to think you can go on Instagram and follow people from around the world for a glimpse into their life! Because of so many active users across the different platforms, this also provides us with amazing networking opportunities. If you see someone’s work you love, let them know.

Maybe you have a cool idea for a collaboration and want to work with a model in your area – don’t be afraid to reach out and form those new relationships. Sites like Instagram and Facebook also make it easy to filter by location as well so you can find creatives in your local area. Not a fan of sliding into the DMs? You can also message and network with creators on The Hub.

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While much of learning social media can be trial and error with constant updates and algorithm changes, it can be vital to growing a business. How are you guys using your favorite social media platforms for your own businesses? Share with us on social at @h_collective.