28 Social Media Marketing Tips: How to Use Networks Differently

Social media marketing is a big part of what I do for a living, so it’s not surprising I enjoy using networks like Facebook and Instagram in my free time, too. One of my biggest pet peeves, however, is people using all of the various social sites the exact same way. Each one has a different use and community, so they should be used in different ways. Are you using the various platforms effectively for your business?

An Example of Social Media Sites’ Differences

For example, when I received my maternity pictures, I thought about what I would want to see from the friends and brands that I follow.

On Instagram:

Because photos show up on Instagram one at a time, I didn’t want to overwhelm my followers with 13 pictures in a row – especially since they would all look similar. So instead, I spaced them out a little bit and shared a few images in one post.

1. I started by sharing a collage of the four “sneak peek” photos the photographer sent in one post.
2. Once I received all of the photos a few weeks later, I went through all of them and decided which ones were my favorites. Then I posted one of just my belly with the caption, “Love how my maternity pictures came out! Stay tuned for more.”
3. A few days later, I posted a collage of four of my favorite photos in one post.
4. The next day, I posted another collage of three photos from the shoot that included my daughter.
5. Finally, a few days later, I posted my favorite picture (one of me with my husband peeking out from behind the bushes) with the caption, “…and one last maternity picture since this one is so fun! #peekaboo”

On Facebook:

Because Facebook has albums, I didn’t need to worry about annoying my friends with 25+ different updates in a row. Instead, I just shared one post with all the photos by creating an album.

1. I tagged my husband and myself in the photos that included our faces so his Facebook friends could see the pictures as well.
2. I also wanted changed my profile picture to one in the album. The one I selected happened to be later in the set of photos, which I actually liked, because that meant when Facebook updated my friends about my new profile picture, it would be a different image than the ones that showed up in their newsfeeds’ album preview.

As you can see, I shared the same photos on two different platforms in varying ways.

Using Sites Differently for Social Media Marketing

What does this example show you as a business owner? All social media sites are set up differently and therefore need to be used in varying ways. A good rule of thumb is to think about how your followers will perceive your updates. Is it appropriate to the platform?

Here are 28 tips to keep in mind as you approach social media marketing for your company.

Facebook

Facebook is probably one of the most well-known social media sites, although that doesn’t mean all businesses know how to use it strategically. This infographic shares a lot of helpful social media marketing advice for specific networks. For Facebook:

1. Keep things positive. This breeds engagement and sharing.
2. Dangle a carrot. Provide just enough information to tell your followers what the link you’re posting is about, but not so much that they don’t have the desire to click through to read more.
3. Include visuals. Facebook updates with images receive the highest engagement on social media sites across the board.
4. Keep it mobile friendly. Research shows 70% of users browse Facebook on their phones, so make sure whatever image you use is easy to digest on a small screen.

I would also add:

1. Don’t be too wordy. Although Facebook doesn’t have a character limit, shorter updates are generally better. I recommend 1-2 sentences.
2. Mix it up. Share more than links to interesting articles or photos of your products. Post amusing memes, inspiring quotes or helpful infographics that are appropriate to your brand.
3. Use hashtags in moderation. Facebook allows hashtags, and they can really help make your updates more visible to those that are searching, but don’t go crazy. Never use more than 3 hashtags in an update (even just 1 or 2 is better); put them toward the end of your post so they don’t distract your followers as they read your update.

Twitter

There are a few things that make Twitter stand out from the other social media sites – most notably character limits, hashtags and retweets. How can you use this network effectively for your social media marketing strategy?

1. Post creative updates. Even though you only have 140 characters, post more than just the headline of whatever article you’re sharing. Instead, write an update with a compelling question, fascinating fact or enticing quote to encourage followers to click through to the rest of the article.
2. Repost the same articles. Twitter updates have the shortest lifespan of all the social media sites, so re-share an article after you’ve already posted it. AllMediaSoftware points out, “According to a study by Wisemetrics, the second tweet of an article gets as much as 86% of the performance as the first tweet.” Just post it a different day and time, and introduce it a little bit differently so it doesn’t look exactly the same to your followers.
3. Use an image. As Social Media Examiner explains, “People love sharing visuals and they love sharing quotes, whether they’re educational, inspirational, entertaining, weird or whatever. Photo quotes help communicate visually and without using up a bunch of characters.”
4. Use hashtags strategically. Although Twitter is known for hashtags, don’t overdo it. I love how Social Media Examiner explains hashtags as a way to give your tweets context. Instead of randomly putting the # symbol in front of words in your update, think about how you can use them to enhance your tweet. For example, you could add #SocialMedia to an update about social media marketing or #TwitterTips to a post about how to use the platform. Also, it’s still best to limit hashtags to 3 total per update.
5. Add value to Quote Tweets. If you see an update on Twitter that you want to share with your followers, click on Retweet and then select Quote Tweet. This allows you to add 116 characters of your own thoughts about the original update and is a great way to add your brand’s commentary. The purpose is to add something of value for your followers, so really think through what message you want to share.

Instagram

Social media marketing with Instagram starts with visuals, but requires more than a picture you just snapped on your phone. Here’s what you need to keep in mind:

1. Start with a compelling image. Use the visual to connect with your followers in an emotional way. Follow the rule of thirds to make it appealing to the eye, and think about the entire photo; make sure there isn’t anything in the background that detracts from the picture.
2. Use text-based images, too. Inspiring quotes or text overlaid on top of a striking image are a great way to connect with followers. Websites like Canva are a great resource for making your own text-based images for Instagram.
3. Include a call to action. There’s no reason you can’t ask your followers to double tap (a.k.a. “like”) your photo or tag another user. In fact, this is a great way to engage with your audience! As Convince & Convert explains, “This is a tactic that gives you a chance to gain new followers in an interesting way.” Post an image and tell your followers to tag someone who does something related, such as inspires you. Or post an image with a caption of something a lot of people can identify with and tell them to double tap if they agree (e.g. “Double tap if you’re glad it’s Friday”).
4. Use hashtags strategically. On Instagram, hashtags should definitely be part of your social media marketing strategy because the platform uses them to recommend your account to other users in the Discovery tab. Only use those that are relevant to your brand and the photo, and (as with other social media sites) don’t use more than 3 per update. The blogger at Convince & Convert also has a great idea, too: Post your update and then comment on it with your hashtags. “This way, they’re not the first thing someone sees when your content hits their feed. Hashtags placed in the comments stills give your content the chance to be found and distributed without looking spammy.”
5. Put links in your bio. Instagram doesn’t hyperlink any URLs you add to your photos’ captions, so instead post the link in your bio and let users know it’s there if they want to learn more.

Google+

Google+ is a very important part of your social media marketing strategy. Why? It carries a lot of search engine optimization (SEO) benefit. It’s not surprising; Google owns it, after all. How can you use it effectively? Going back to the infographic I mentioned above:

1. Surprise! Use hashtags strategically. Google+ will increase your page’s reach by including 1-3 relevant hashtags in your update.
2. Tag brands and users. This will notify them of your post and, hopefully, inspire them to engage with your update.
3. Jump on trending topics. Increase your brand’s visibility by posting about Google+’s Hot Topics (as appropriate to your business, of course).
4. Use Images. Like all the other social media sites, users respond well to images. Photos that are 800×600 pixels are ideal for Google+.

LinkedIn

Of all the social media sites, LinkedIn is known for being the most professional. This is the place to really highlight your business’ expertise and establish yourself as a thought leader.

1. Be active during the week. LinkedIn engagement is much higher Monday to Friday, so give yourself the goal of one update per weekday to stay visible in your followers’ feeds.
2. Share your thoughts. Unlike the other social media sites, LinkedIn is a platform where you can include slightly longer updates about the article or quote you’re sharing. Tell your followers what you think of it to add some value to the conversation (which also helps establish you as a thought leader).
3. Post articles and news related to your industry alongside an image. Buffer collected some interesting research about what type of updates LinkedIn users respond best to:
   1. 60% of members are interested in industry insights
   2. 53% are interested in company news
   3. 43% are interested in new products and services
   4. Updates containing links get up to 45% higher follower engagement than those without links
   5. Images lead to a 98% higher comment rate
   6. Updates that contain questions receive almost 50% more comments
4. Optimize for SEO. As Social Media Examiner points out, “Many companies are still not aware of the search engine optimization value LinkedIn offers.” Look through your company page. Are your most important keywords at the top of the description? Make sure you include them throughout the Specialties section of your page as Google specifically looks at that section, too.

 

Pinterest

Although Pinterest is a bit different than the other social media sites, it’s just as important for your social media marketing strategy for several reasons, as explained by Jeff Bullas:

• Over 80% of pins are re-pins. The powers that be behind this viral ability are Pinterest’s search function and category algorithms.
• The average useful lifespan of a Tweet is measured in minutes. Facebook posts exist in newsfeeds for a few hours. Want to take a guess on how long an average pin can remain relevant? We’re talking about months.
• Pinterest drives consumer purchasing behavior. About 25% of consumers reported buying a product or service after discovering it on Pinterest.
• Consumers referred by Pinterest are 10% more likely to actually purchase than those referred by Facebook; Pinterest grabs around 41% of ecommerce traffic compared to other social media sites.

How can you use Pinterest effectively as part of your social media marketing strategy?

1. Think about the visual. If you’re pinning original content (such as a blog post you wrote), consider how it will look in Pinterest. If the images aren’t up to par, use a site like Canva to create a new photo to accompany the post.
2. Repin. Spend a few minutes each day repinning (or re-sharing) pins others have posted. You can do this quickly by searching for your industry’s keywords in the Pinterest search. As Social Media Examiner suggests, “Just check the links on any pins to make sure they’re active and relevant before you share them.”
3. Use keywords. SEO basics will help make your pins more visible. Incorporate your brand’s main keywords into your Pinterest updates by including them in your pin titles, descriptions and/or image file names. Remember to keep your followers in mind, though. As KissMetrics explains, “Don’t go too crazy and add three keywords to your title and descriptions like a robot would. Optimize and still sound human by simply adding a strong keyword within the right context.”

In Conclusion

Are you using the various social media sites effectively? It’s important to understand the differences between them and how they’re used before you can use them strategically your company’s social media marketing.

Have questions? Share them in the comments below or contact us for a complementary 30-minute consultation! We’d love to help your business succeed in connecting with social media followers and fans.

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