According to the latest statistics from Pew Research, both Instagram and Twitter’s user base doubled in 2014. Although Facebook continues to dominate the social media scales in total users, its growth has become relatively stagnant, signaling users want more variety in their digital diet.
But what does all this variety mean for business owners? Double, triple, quadruple the work? Not necessarily. Despite the diversification of social media habits, businesses don’t need to look far to match marketing strategies with changing trends.
Key Changes in 2014
Released in 2014, Pew Research’s study outlined significant changes in how social media is used and by whom. More than half of all online adults use at least two social media sites while the number of adults ages 65 and older using Facebook rose to nearly one-third of the senior population.
Instagram and Twitter, in addition to their increase in users, received high marks for loyalty. Nearly 50% of Instagram users access the site at least once per day with more than half of users being classified as millennials. Platforms like Pinterest are also gaining popularity for its emphasis on highly shareable, visual content, but the context that keeps users coming back to Instagram and Twitter is missing from Pinterest.
Action Steps for Twitter and Instagram
Most marketers look at these results and conclude one of two things: Their marketing strategy needs a tune up or it wasn’t built correctly in the first place. Not to fear! There are a few ways to help your business gain exposure on Instagram and Twitter without investing countless hours of sweat equity. Consider the following solutions.
- Use hashtags and post frequently. If you’re not already using hashtags, it’s time to start. Using hashtags on Twitter, Instagram, and even Facebook can boost engagement by 70% or more, provided they are placed strategically and no more than 2-3 times in your post. Web-based tools, like Tagboard and Iconosquare, simplify hashtag research so you can select hashtags that are both popular and on-brand.
- Post frequently. Regardless of hashtag use, both Instagram and Twitter cater to a real-time social media use, meaning posting sporadically is unlikely to increase your reach. Combine scheduled and curated posts with originals to ensure a steady stream of content on both platforms.
- Encourage audience participation. You’re not required to do all the heavy lifting simply because you represent a brand. Instead, encourage audience participation by holding contests. Particularly effective on Instagram, asking for user-generated content gets people excited about your brand.
- Case Study. As Fast Company discussed, Benefit Cosmetics received higher engagement rates during the company’s Instagram challenge.By asking viewers to take a selfie using their mascara, the company gained hundreds of responses tied together with the hashtag #realsies. At the end of the campaign, the company compiled the responses and created a new, unique, and shareable piece of content that served to promote their brand continuously.
- Repurpose old content. Regardless of your brand’s age, you have content you’re not using properly. Whether it’s old pictures from a charity luncheon or written testimonials from customers, you have content waiting to be repurposed. Think about items, from documents to holiday cards, which speak of your brand’s value. How can you bring that information to the forefront digitally?
- Extend the reach of existing content, such as pictures or branded reports, by creating a presentation, SlideShare, or short video.
- Do you have a few, meaty articles stuffed with statistics? Double check the stats to make sure they’re still relevant or update as needed, and Tweet them or post a simple graph outlining changes in trends.
- Migrate your #TBT (and other Facebook habits) to Instagram and Twitter by posting links to old company pictures, newspaper headlines, or brand memorabilia. Follow up by asking your audience to engage with the image, post responses, and share!
Be Creative & Analyze
Provided you’re dispersing content your audience cares about, helping your business grow via a variety of social media platforms isn’t much different than using Facebook strategies. After you invest time in the cultivation of a Twitter or Instagram following, don’t waste valuable time operating on assumptions. Dig into the analytics for each of your posts to determine what your audience loves most about your social activity to enhance results.
Do you know of a brand that rocks Instagram and Twitter marketing? Tell us about it!
from Darlene Milligan http://ift.tt/1GlkPK8 via small business marketing company
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/1BK2hnV
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