Social media channels have become one of the most powerful marketing tactics for businesses of all shapes and sizes. The more followers a business has on social media, the more leads and greater brand identity they will achieve. Social media has become the go-to source for communication. People around the globe use these channels to interact with their friends and families, but they also use them to attain news and information, as well as a tool for finding the products and services that they are looking for.
Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have become a staple in marketing. In fact, if a marketing strategy is going to be effective, it needs to incorporate social media.
Given the following statistics, it’s easy to see why businesses across all industries have adopted social media into their marketing plans:
- 95 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 34 are likely to follow brands on social media.
- 71 percent of people who have positive experience with a brand via social media are more inclined to recommend that brand to other people.
- There are more than 50 million Facebook pages for small businesses
- 22 percent of the global population interacts with Facebook
- There are 200 million active users on Instagram
In order to see attain as much success as possible, companies that use social media marketing should make getting as many followers as possible their top priority.
What are Followers?
In regard to social media, “followers” are users who choose to see the content that another user posts within their newsfeed. Newsfeeds on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter deliver content to users.
This content varies from one site to another, but in general, it consists of
- posts,
- images,
- videos,
- and articles
that users post. When a person “follows” another user, they can see the content that user posts within their feed.
Why Followers are Important
When it comes to social media marketing, the general rule of thumb is this: the more followers a business has, the better. Here’s why:
- Increased brand visibility. The more followers a brand has, the more visible it will be. Increased brand visibility is vital for the success of a business.
- Reduced advertising spend. When a business has a lot of followers, the amount spent on advertising can be significantly reduced. That’s because the more followers a business has, the more likely those followers will share content; essentially, their followers are advertising for them.
- More engagement. Businesses can increase their engagement with their audience, which translates to more conversions.
- Better customer experience. Social media is an effective way for businesses to provide a better experience for their customers. The more followers a business has, the better the experience of their customers will be, which also leads to better brand visibility, further decreases advertising spend, and translates to more conversions.
How to Acquire more Followers
Given the importance of followers, marketers should invest in strategies that will help them gain more followers, which will in-turn increase their success.
There are several strategies that can be implemented to attract more followers on social media. Some of the best tactics include the following:
- Share unique content. Content that is engaging, inspiring, relatable, and provokes emotion can help a business stand out. It also establishes the authority of a business and sets it apart from the competition. Sharing unique content is a surefire way to attract more followers.
- Follow other users. By following other users and engaging with them, marketers can make their presence known, further establish their authority, and encourage those who follow those users to follow them. Follow reputable brands in your industry (competitors), as well as users that have a prolific presence on social media that relates to your industry.
- Cross-promote. Share content across different social media channels. For example, link your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts and share your posts across each channel. Doing so will allow you to reach a larger audience and will encourage more followers.
- Make use of hashtags. Inserting a hashtag (the # sign) before a word or phrase turns that word or phrase into a searchable link on social media. By using hashtags that relate to your industry, your posts will become more visible and you can attract more followers.
