So, it’s 2020! Firstly, how did that even happen and secondly, we have a social media beast that we need to master this year for our businesses!
We’re living in an age where we have the biggest asset within reach as business owners, and it’s *FREE* marketing. Hear me when I say this: Our parents and grandparents in business did not have this! Ummmm hello EPIC times to be in business.
Traditionally marketing has always been known as the disruptor. To disrupt and interrupt whatever your target audience is doing at that time.
Social media is no different, it’s the interrupter!
It makes you lose your concentration in whatever you were doing: scrolling your feed, watching videos, commenting on posts etc etc, it’s made to disrupt your audience so they engage with your brand and business.
And that my friends is exactly what we’re going to do…WITH SOUL!
#1 Consistency is KING SOUL & content strategy is QUEEN SOUL & together they live in a happy little castle!
With a content plan you will never have the stress of wondering what to post at the last minute. You will always have posts prepared and they will always be strategic. Your objectives will be planned out and you will never duplicate your content. What really matters in the end is the content.
Think about who you follow the most and why you follow them.
When I think about the best Instagram and Facebook pages I love to see served to me, be it brands or friends, I look forward to the ones that provide me with education, ones that inspire me to be better or the ones that give me a belly laugh.
Stalk the ones you love, write down why you love them then think about your own business and how you can also create these meaningful pieces of content.
If you’re stuck in a rut, why not survey a few friends about what they think? This is an easy way to step outside your comfort box because after all, you don’t know what you don’t know.
#2 Embrace soulful story telling instead of just social media updates
Tell your story, your whole story.
We’re becoming more and more nosayyyy as humans! Your customers are nosy too and what might seem boring to you, is 100% interesting, inspiring and educating to them.
Hey, it happens to the best of us!
For me, it’s not until I actually tell someone new about my path to get where I am, and I actually hear myself, do I realise “OMG, I’m actually doing this” – see ya later imposter syndrome!
Second to this, what you tell your audience in your posts you should replicate in your Instagram Stories and Facebook Stories.
It’s hard to get in front of the camera, but once you do it a few times, it does get easier!
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg noted back in 2018 that Stories were on track to “posts in Feed as the most common way that people share across all social apps”.
Did you know Instagram Stories is used by more than 500 million people every day? It’s something you just can’t ignore in 2020.
#3 Utilise these 4 marketing strategies for Hashtags
Hashtags help to form a strategic approach to expand content reach, amplify the brand and assist to help the content be found in search results.
Strategic hashtags help with key word search and integrates seamlessly with web SEO which is critical for raising awareness.
- Brand hashtags: will always remain the same and be the hero in all your content.
- Content hashtags: will cover all brand pillars and consistently evolve
- Campaign specific: will change based on the content discusses
- Trending: will be fast moving and bandwagon style that will be used for events and large media worthy stories
#4 Geographic tags
When you’re posting to Instagram make sure you use this little button (Geotag)!
It sometimes can get lost and forgotten about or you just don’t know how to use it, however these can be valuable to your business as it tells people exactly where you’re located.
You can literally select any location or business that best represents your business, like popular playgrounds for kids, coffee shops or hot spots.
You can also create a custom location for your business if you haven’t already which will generate a locator on a map so people can find you.
This is super handy in targeting popular places, and hint hint…you don’t actually have to be in these places at the time. This can be done after the fact.
Your social media presence for your business in 2020 *NEEDS* to take that next step!
Go on…go!
xxx
Your favourite afro and Social Soul, Hayley
CONNECT WITH HAYLEY:
Facebook: Social Soul
Instagram: @socialsoulmedia
Website: www.socialsoul.com.au
ARTICLE BY
HAYLEY OSBORNE,
SOCIAL SOUL
Hayley Osborne is the owner of digital marketing and social media agency Social Soul and is based in Adelaide.
She works with clients locally, interstate as well as internationally and has over 15 years’ experience in marketing, brand and communications working on some of the biggest brands in the world.
She’s your strategic creative expert, Facebook Advertising super hero and packs a punch with copywriting.