Talk Like You Belong on Social Media

With more than 78% of people in the United States using social media it is clear this is a great place to connect with potential customers. Some businesses find it hard to use social media as more than just another place to advertise their products or services. As businesses, we should keep in mind that social media is about engaging with our audience. Connecting with our readers helps us build a stronger relationship with potential customers and ultimately increase their brand loyalty.

What can we do to keep our readers be interested and engaged with us on social media? We want to focus on talking like they would on their social media platform of choice. Let’s look at 5 types of social media posts that help us engage with our readers.

Questions

Asking interesting questions is a great way to encourage engagement. You don’t have to keep the topic strictly on your industry. Ask your readers about topics that would be of interest to them. These are just a few question types you could use.

Educational: Share interesting information either relevant to your industry or about your products/services. Example: Did you know…?
Timely Posts: Ask your readers what they’re up to for the holidays or their reaction to something on the news.
Fill in the Blank: It’s a great way to get new ideas and find out what readers are thinking about. Example: My favorite Starbucks drink is _____!

Thank You

Public appreciation catches the attention of more than just the people receiving it. It shows other readers that they could receive the same thanks. Some examples of things to thank readers for include:

Sharing a post
Becoming a follower
Contributing to a conversation
Leaving a review

Complaints

When people have an experience that leaves a strong impression, especially bad ones, they want to tell others about it. If someone brings up a problem they have experienced with your company, respond to it as soon as possible. By responding quickly, you show the person involved and other readers that you are serious about their concerns and want to take care of them.

Pictures

When people are on social media, they are quickly scanning their news feeds for something interesting to look at. Using an image in your post helps to catch their attention. Images can be used several different ways:

Illustrate the topic of an article. You want to catch a reader’s attention without it just being a shock factor. People that go to your article because of a shocking image are more likely to leave unhappy and less likely to look at future articles.
Enhance a motivational quote. Images with quotes help catch a reader’s attention long enough to read, and possibly share with others. The quote doesn’t have to always be a serious statement. Some tasteful humor is also appreciated.
In the form of an infographic. Infographics help explain information that is complex or confusing by using illustrations to connect information together.

Industry News

Change happens so fast, and it is hard for those not in the middle of your industry on a daily basis to understand what is happening. This gives you the opportunity to remove the jargon and help explain the changes in a way that makes more sense to your readers. When you take the time to help others understand what is happening, you become the subject matter expert they can go to when they need help in your industry.

Final Thoughts

By including these five ways into your social media schedule you offer variety to your content which will help keep your readers engaged. When actively engaging your audience, you have an opportunity to create a stronger relationship with potential customers and advocates of your business. Remember to talk to your reader like they would on their social media platform of choice about something of value to them.