Get Trending on Social Media with These 4 Steps
February 13, 2019
Trends aren’t just important on Google, where you learn about which keywords are most popular and what topics are being searched regularly. Trending is also a term used on social media for content which is being shared heavily or posted about frequently. You can tell what’s trending on Twitter, for example, by the hashtags in use. On Facebook, the number of shares something gets is telling its popularity.
In social media marketing, the key is to have your content viewed as many times as possible. Some companies confuse this with the aim to go viral; it’s very unlikely that your marketing content will ever go viral, though not impossible. The goal isn’t to become a one-hit-wonder, however, it’s to make a lasting impression on consumers.
If you’re looking to get your brand noticed and make a name for yourself on social media, here are 4 steps you can take to get trendy.
1. High-Quality Long-Form Content: This point may seem like a repetitive one, but it’s crucial to noticeably higher-ranking content. It’s not enough to always use high-quality writing; you must also write long enough articles that they are considered authoritative and relevant. Short 500-word blog blurbs about the latest product in your lineup are great, but if they’re the only content you boast, you’ll blend in with everybody else. Google and social media platforms are looking at the length of posts made by business owners and it is becoming a qualifying factor in ranking.
To keep on-trend with social media followers, don’t just use a long-written article. Include short, concise headers, hashtags, visual aids, streaming videos, emojis, and other fun and interactive features to keep readers interested. This way, you’re following the guidelines observed by major search engine algorithms while simultaneously attending to your target audience.
2. Pay for Your Spotlight: You may not be able to pay social media users to follow, like, and share your content without breaking the bank, but you can pay to make them take notice. A huge part of trending on social media is simply being noticed and recognized by consumers. When you start out it’s difficult to get the recognition you need because you’re a small fish in a huge social pond. Paid advertising gives you the boost you need to point-out your brand to those who matter.
Paid social media marketing is obviously more expensive than simply creating and maintaining a newsfeed, but it’s well worth the cash if you’re able to capture the attention of your target audience. Facebook is a great example of a platform where social media marketing pays off. These ads are targeted toward users who like, comment on, and share similar content. This means you’re automatically having your brand displayed exactly where it needs to be.
Paid advertising of this kind doesn’t need to be a long-term game plan, but rather, a jumping off point. Build your marketing strategy around these ads with an end goal to dissolve them at a certain number of followers. Once your account is generating enough traffic to become self-sufficient, these ads will no longer be necessary.
3. Change it Up: There’s nothing more damaging to a social media marketing campaign than becoming comfortable and set in your ways. Once something proves successful, it’s easy to keep doing what you’re doing and never stray from a tried and proven method. Unfortunately, social media is an ever-changing beast and there is no one right way to market here. To make your brand shine and stay on trend, you must follow the trends as they change. This means keeping an eye on what’s going on over at Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and even Pinterest and LinkedIn. Watch for changes in the way users are posting videos, filtering photographs, utilizing hashtags and other defining content markers.
If you’re willing to change with the natural flow of the digital universe and the interests of your target client-base, you can stay successful in social media.
4. Customize Your Content and Promotions: Personalization is what sets your social media followers apart from the next brand over. You want your followers to feel special for being part of YOUR team. You also want to reward loyalty. The best way to do this is by tailoring content and promotions to the tastes of your followers. Of course, every company tries to create content based on the likes and needs of consumers, but this takes things one step further. You want to curate your articles, blog posts, photos, videos, and even special offers to the specific tastes of your target market. If your target market is women aged 15-25, your promotions, coupons, and contests should reflect this. Yes, you’re narrowing your niche to a select audience which could potentially put-off some consumers in another target, but it points to your target and declares, “this is for you!”
Consumers are a dime a dozen, faceless consumers in crowds of millions; at least this is how they feel most of the time. Allow your brand to remove this consumer stigma and give your customers a face. Show them that they are not just random shoppers, they’re “insert your brand name here” shoppers, and they matter to you.
Whatever you choose to do to get ahead in social media, be sure to consider your next step as you proceed with the current one. Having a structured game-plan is the best way to come out on top with this style of marketing.