The Complete Guide to Quickly Growing a Loyal & Lasting Social Media Audience

Most of us can’t imagine going a day without using social media. We depend on it to socialize, network, gather inspiration, and so many other things in our daily lives. Social media even plays a key role in a lot of our shopping behaviors. Whether we see Instagram influencers sporting seasonal attire, sponsored posts, or Tik Tok videos showing us a neat new product– the content informs our opinions and purchases. With so many new platforms gaining traction, businesses now have easy access to potential clients. This is great because having a loyal social media audience is oftentimes the key to a business’s success. However, the process of building a large social media following that will actually be invested in your business is easier said than done. Here are some proven social media strategies to help grow your following and improve brand loyalty. 

Set SMART Social Media Goals

One of the first things you should do is set a clear goal. This can be increased brand awareness, brand loyalty, or sales growth. Or maybe you have a completely different objective that’s unique to your company. Having a large audience is great, but you must have a goal and execute it well if you want to keep your followers engaged. 

SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. An example of this is saying, “I want to have 1,000 Instagram followers by December 31st.” Now, let us tell you why this is a good goal. 

S: This goal is specific. We have set a specific number, platform, and deadline that we want to reach.

M: This goal is measurable. At the end of our timeline, we can easily check to see if we’ve reached 1,000 followers.

A: This goal is achievable. Most businesses already have some kind of online following, so chances are you won’t need 1,000 brand new followers. Even if you are starting from scratch, December is six months from now. With the help of a social media marketing agency and a dedicated content publishing schedule, this is still attainable. All you need to do is produce high-quality content and establish a rapport with your existing followers. 

R: Instagram is a relevant social media platform for marketing because it has an estimated 1.074 billion active users. This platform is a great marketing tool for businesses in many different industries. 

T: This goal is time-bound. We set a very specific date, after which we will assess whether or not we’ve met our goal. 

Allow Your Audience to Get to Know You

Being sincere and authentic will take you far. If you try to be someone you’re not, people will notice it. This is may come as a surprise since social media tends to be highly curated, but dishonesty is a big turn-off for followers and subscribers. The only way to build a loyal social media audience is by being honest with them. And that means being yourself and letting your brand’s personality shine through. Use your platform to provide industry insights, share your thoughts and opinions, and engage with followers as a friend. 

Staying true to yourself and your mission will help with originality. Original content is what people find exciting and will make people want to listen to you. So, if you try copying someone else, people will just go to the original page. You need to offer unique and informational content so your audience can get to know you and what you’re about. 

If You Post, They Will Come

Engaging with your audience and creating new social media posts each day is not easy. You may think that your favorite social media guru only has to snap a few pics and tap on their phone. But it is a lot more complex than that. At least it is if you want to grow a large following. For starters, you’ll need to establish a content calendar and publish nearly every day. But you can’t just publish anything. 

You need to post appealing, informational, unique, and authentic content if you want to stand out on social media. People are constantly posting online. What will set you apart is quality. One of the biggest problems with social media platforms is that people will leave if they are not entertained. That means you need to constantly publish fresh content and nurture your relationships. 

Consistency is crucial, and you need to stay focused to see real growth.

Communication is Everything

If you are looking for the best social media marketing strategy, the answer is communication. Online communities are interesting, and they love engaging with each other. If someone is following you, it’s likely because they connect with you, your message, or your product. 

Once you capture them, you have to get them talking. This can be through shared content, comments, asking questions, or anything else. Whatever you do, keep them engaged so their interest won’t wane. If you are starting your profile from scratch, you should be able to answer every message and comment you receive. If you have a manageable follower count, you should absolutely strive to do this. 

Even if you have a lot of followers, that doesn’t mean you should stop trying. Answer as many comments as you can, but focus on the most relevant ones. Try to build connections with people, especially those who already have a large following. Starting a conversation and communicating will help people feel welcome. This will, in turn, create a lasting relationship.  

Collaborate With Other People

Regardless of your service area, one of the easiest ways to expand your audience is through collaboration. Find someone in a similar line of work and work together. You can collaborate on a promotion or go live together. You can also use influencers to introduce your products and services to a wider audience. 

It is a win-win situation. You and your partners will be able to grow after being introduced to one another’s audiences. Even if you choose to use an influencer, you’ll likely see considerable growth. Many of them will also work for products, services, or for a small fee.

Rise Local Social Media Consultation

Starting anything new can be challenging. But you can reach all of your social media marketing goals with some persistence, and a little help from the Rise Local SMM team. We can customize a publishing schedule, strategy, produce content, publish, respond to followers, and track progress for you. Then your business and social media accounts will grow, without you having to divert attention and effort from your business.  

If you’re ready to take the next step and introduce yourself to a whole new market contact us right away. Our team would love to get to know you and build a strategy that will benefit your business.