If you're reading this, it's likely that you've already figured out how to use social media. You probably know what hashtags are and how to make a post go viral. But even if your strategy is working for now, it might not be the best way to build an engaged audience in the long term. That's because virality is like winning the lottery—it's possible, but there are better ways to build an engaged audience that will stick around for years to come. In this post we'll show you why focusing on virality isn't always the best strategy for social media and how to be more valuable long-term resource instead.
Why it's better to focus on the people who already know you
Focus on the people who already know you.
There are a lot of reasons it's better to focus on the people who already know you and your brand, as opposed to trying to get new users. First, it's way more cost effective: if someone is following you or has interacted with you in some way (liking a post, commenting), they're more likely to share something they've seen from your account than someone who isn't following at all. Second, because those people have already chosen to follow you—and therefore presumably like what your brand does—their opinions will carry much more weight than those of strangers picking up random posts about products or brands that don't seem relevant.
How do I focus on my existing audience? By posting content relevant for them; sharing things that interest or entertain them; asking questions that get them involved in conversations (which also makes them feel heard); creating contests and giveaways; sharing behind-the-scenes stuff showcasing interesting things about the company culture etc.).
How to be a more valuable long-term resource
Provide value to your audience. You can't expect people to be interested in you if you're not genuinely interested in them. Helping others is a good way to build trust and establish yourself as an expert, while also encouraging engagement and interaction with your posts.
Be consistent. If there's one thing we've learned, it's that consistency matters when it comes to content marketing—and no more so than with social media! Keep posting about topics related to what you do best (e.g., dentistry) at least once every day or two, even when those posts aren't a new topic or format for your brand's followers; just keep doing what works best!
Be authentic. This one should go without saying—but if something doesn't feel right about posting certain types of content on Facebook or Twitter, then don't do it just because someone else says they're popular online right now! Instead look within yourself and ask: why am I posting this particular message? Do I think it will resonate with my audience? Is there anything else I could say instead?
Virality is like winning the lottery. It's possible, but there are better ways to build an engaged audience.
Virality is like winning the lottery. It can happen, but it’s not something you should focus on. Instead of chasing virality, focus on building a loyal audience around your content. You want to build community and engagement around your content—not just get likes or shares from random people who don’t care about what you write about.
For example, if someone is interested in cooking and loves avocado toast (and let's face it: who doesn't?), then they might share this post with their followers because it contains useful information that could benefit them or make them laugh: “10 Reasons Why Avocado Toast Is The Best Food Ever Invented By Man Or Woman."
But if someone isn't into cooking at all, then there's no way they'd share this article with anyone else because they wouldn't see any value in doing so (or even reading it).
Conclusion
Virality is a great tool to have in your social media arsenal, but it's important not to put all of your eggs in one basket. If you focus on building authentic relationships and fostering loyalty with the people who already know you, then there will be no limit to how far those relationships can take you.
Interested in working with us to build your authentic social media strategy? Book a discovery call here!
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