Why Generosity is the Key to Getting Followers on Social Media
Posted on February 5, 2018 in Marketing
Take a moment to think about who you follow on social media. Doesn’t matter whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter – why do you follow the people you do?
No matter who you’re following, I can guarantee that it all boils down to one reason: they post and share content with VALUE. Every account with an enormous following on social media earns their following by creating and sharing VALUABLE CONTENT – we call these their “gives”.
I don’t need a mind reader to know that you follow them because they GIVE you something you wouldn’t have otherwise. Maybe they post delicious recipes, or informative how-to-guides, or even just funny comedy sketches – the point is that they share content that somehow makes your life better.
They gave and they gave and they gave – and that’s how they won their following, including you.
It worked.
Why You Need to Give, Give, Give to Get Followers on Social Media
At any given moment, there are a million other businesses clamoring for your audience’s attention. So if you’re going to expect ANYONE in the world to listen to you, to give you the time of day and follow your page, then you have to go above and beyond the usual humdrum social media posts.
It’s a privilege to have followers/subscribers – one that you have to earn.
In other words, you have to give – and truth be told, you’re going to have to give more than three times. In reality, you’re going to have to give 20 or 100 times before you ask someone for a sale.
Be constantly offering clients value, over and over again. Your sale will feel like you’re asking for a small favor in return. Patience is everything here – you have to recognize that all these gives add up to sales that make the overall ROI well worth it.
Giving through quality content establishes your reputation as a source of VALUE. It flips the tables – instead of hunting down followers, they’re tracking YOU down. They’re sharing your content, they’re bringing you up in conversations – they’re sharing your message for you.
Giving is how you grow your following on social media…but how do you do it and get results?
How to Effectively Give on Social Media
There’s one rule for giving on social media: create content that truly makes a difference in people’s lives.
That’s it! It doesn’t matter what you’re doing. You just need to make content that HELPS people.
If you’re not sure what value you have to offer your audience, do some soul searching.
What are you an expert on? What do you know more about than any other company? What advice are you always giving in person? What do people come to you for guidance about?
Don’t be afraid to ask your customers, colleagues, and associates, either. Ask them what type of content they would like to see from your company. Ask them what they want to see more of on their news feed.
DO NOT push sales right away…anyone can ask other people for something. It doesn’t get you anywhere. Asking without giving is a great way to get ignored. Remember, patience is key here.
How to Ask: Making Sales on Social Media That Actually Land
Okay, so you’ve done all the hard work of creating and sharing content. You’re slowly getting more and more hits on your page, and people are starting to like your content.
Ahh, the karma feels great…but how do you convert?
Don’t beat around the bush. Tell people naturally and honestly what you want.
“Hey everybody, can you do me a huge favor and go ahead and like my page? Your support allows me to continue making great content.”
“Hey, while you’re here, hit that subscribe button before you go for more insightful content.”
Don’t stutter, don’t dilly-dally, just ask upfront. People will appreciate your honesty and transparency. If you’ve done everything right so far, they will say “absolutely!” or “of course!”
Make your sale actionable, and eliminate friction.
Tell your audience exactly what you want them to do. Make it crystal clear – if anyone’s confused, they won’t follow through.
And if you’re asking someone to do something for you, make it as easy as possible.
If you want them to like your page…you better have a link right there. If you want someone to hit subscribe…for the love of god have a subscribe button close by.
Every additional click, every unnecessary step that someone has to make reduces your chances of conversion tenfold. By making the sale easy and actionable, you’re greatly increasing your odds of success.
So in recap:
- You need to patiently give over and over again (and then some) before you’re set up for a successful sale.
- Give by creating unique, genuinely valuable content with your audience in mind.
- Ask audiences naturally and frankly to do something easy and actionable.
- Enjoy social media success!
What’s worked for YOU on social media? What hasn’t worked? Let us know in the comments or contact us today to talk more about giving, asking, and social media marketing in general.
About Drive Creative Agency
Drive Creative Agency is a boutique digital marketing agency located in Rochester, MI. We do many things well including Website Design & Development, Social Media Marketing & Management, SEO, PPC, and much much more!