We’ve all seen small businesses blow up on social media and thought “Huh, I can do that”.
Social media is often misunderstood as a quick-fix marketing tool that will scale your business while you sleep.
But this couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Social media is not a “get rich quick” tool. To use social media effectively, it should be used as a part of your overall marketing strategy, meaning it supports your other marketing efforts like paid ads, email marketing, influencer marketing, etc.
Growth on social media is a result of consistent efforts, original content, and a solid strategy.
And yes, while some accounts are lucky enough to go viral without much strategy or effort, this is not the norm. Very few businesses find success by going viral.
The truth is that a) there are very few creators who go viral and b) a lot of small businesses are overwhelmed by a rapid increase in orders after a video goes viral, meaning they aren’t able to scale and cash in on the success.
If you’re curious why going viral shouldn’t be your goal, check out this article.
And remember, lots of followers don’t equal sales.
Your goal shouldn’t be to amass a large number of followers, but to build an engaged community of people whose interests align with your brand, meaning they are likely to purchase from you.
So, now that we’ve prefaced the importance of not aiming for going viral and rapid growth, let’s look at how to grow quickly, but in a sustainable and goal-oriented way.
Consistent efforts will pay off
As with most things in life, good things come to those who wait. Or in this case, those who wait while posting kick-ass content.
Posting on social media is much like your skincare routine. In order to see results, you need to stick to a routine.
Posting frequency
The more often you post, the better. However, it’s better to post less often but post better quality content than posting multiple times daily with mediocre content.
Find the sweet spot that works for you, and stick with it. Consider your weekly schedule and be honest with yourself about how many posts you can consistently publish.
Consistent quality
This point ties in with the previous one about posting frequently. The quality of your content is just as important, if not more important.
The quality of your content extends from the topic you post about to high-quality graphics and videos to choosing the right audio, writing an engaging, keyword-optimized caption, researching hashtags, etc. Ensure every piece of content is of the best possible quality.
Originality is key
Don’t post what everyone else is posting. Stop wasting your time “getting inspired” by other people’s content and scrolling aimlessly. Come up with your own ideas and produce original content.
Think about it this way. Social media makes it easier than ever for everyone to post their product recommendations, thoughts, etc.
How can you ensure your content doesn’t get lost in the masses?
How can you stop people from scrolling past your content and instead linger on your posts, enjoying them so much they want to interact with them? You achieve this by posting something new and unique.
The key is to produce content that’s above average. Don’t post to blend in, post to stand out.
Make your brand seem like a best friend: Powerful branding
Take a minute to think about all your favorite products you use daily. Now think about their branding.
Chances are, they all have a solid brand strategy that makes you feel very connected to their messaging and products, kind of like you’d want to be best friends with them if they were people.
Branding is much more than a logo and some colors. It’s the way people feel when they interact with your business.
The more connected people feel to your brand, the more likely they are to engage with your content and ultimately purchase from you.
Don’t follow trends
Contrary to common belief, trends are not what social media is all about.
There’s nothing wrong with once in a while following a trend (as long as it aligns with your brand).
However, constantly following trends will a) make you seem desperate and unoriginal and b) dilute your branding.
Stick to your strategy and brainstorm original ideas rather than jumping on a never-ending train of trends.
Research hashtags and keywords
No, hashtags are not dead and haven’t been replaced. Keywords only supplement hashtags.
If you want your content to be searchable for users as well as for algorithms (yes, this is exactly what you want!), you need to use hashtags and keywords.
Research hashtags and keywords in your industry and use them with every post.
For hashtags, it’s always recommended to find a variety of hashtags, some more niche, some broader.
Be social and engage with accounts
Last but certainly not least, make sure you always engage with your followers.
Social media has changed a lot over the last few years, and while “being social” has always been a part of social media, engagement is now more important than ever.
Algorithms prioritize accounts with a lot of engagement, meaning they will push out your content to a broader audience if it appears that people enjoy your content. The more people discover your content, the more widely known you will become and will grow your account over time.
So, make sure you reply to comments and DMs timely and concisely. The top tip is to respond with a question, prompting the other person to reply again. The more meaningful your conversations, the better.
Conclusion: How to grow quickly on social media
There isn’t a quick fix to growing fast on social media.
It takes a lot of time and effort to create a solid strategy and execute it consistently.
However, your time and effort will pay off.
With these tips, you will grow quickly on social media while ensuring your growth is sustainable and aligned with your overall business objectives.
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