Why do companies see social media as such an important part of building their brand? Well, when you consider just how often Google changes its algorithm, and how those changes can instantaneously drive down a website’s page views, then it’s fairly easy to see why generating traffic through social media is so important. In fact, when you have the right social media strategy, you are in essence protecting yourself against any future algorithm changes. So, what are some of the ways you can increase your social media engagement?

1. Engage Your Audience in Real-Time

Your customers must come to know that you’re always present, always around and always willing to lend a helping hand. That comes from directly engaging and interacting with your audience in real-time. A timely and well-placed Tweet that coincides with important news showcases your ability to be on the ball and fully aware of what’s going on in your market. Make sure you directly engage your audience in whatever social media platform you choose to work with.

2. Create Groups and Join Forums

Being present on social involves being an active participant and taking part in online discussions. Define the types of social media websites your customers rely upon and start your own group or forum. If your customers are on Facebook, then open a Facebook page and be consistent in how and what you post online. Directly engaging your audience is a surefire way to show that you care and are available to help.

3. Run Your Own Poll/Survey with a Question and Answer Session

Give your customers a reason to interact. Surveys and polls about subjects that matter most to your customers will surely get them thinking. Using online question and answer sessions incentivizes customers to act. It’s a soft sell and it allows you to converse directly with customers while subtly pushing your products and services.

Customers appreciate when you focus on their problems. Polls, surveys and questionnaires sent to your customers, or held online, are great social media outreach tools. If you need help, then a Miami online marketing agency might just be the solution you’re looking for.

4. Live Chat and Free Downloads

Sometimes the best strategy is simply the easiest. This is ultimately why a number of companies provide free downloads in the form of e-books, whitepapers, step-by-step guides and or free products and services. Live chat is another solution you can offer directly from your website that engages your audience and gives them a platform to ask pertinent questions. Ultimately, you want to combine these freebies with the ability to answer any questions your customers might have while they’re on a given webpage.

Most of the Miami website design companies are able to help you directly engage your audience. They can provide invaluable insight into what makes customers tick and what reasons they have for sharing content. Make sure you work directly with your firm of choice by properly measuring results and altering course, if need be.

Nowadays, the question isn’t whether or not small businesses should be using social media as a marketing tool, but rather how they pursue their marketing strategies across different social media platforms. While Twitter and Facebook still reign supreme, more and more companies are beginning to see the value in devising a strategy specifically for Instagram.

Instagram is designed to be a platform where users can post photos as they take them, sometimes adding a filter or effects to their various photo files. Along with the photos, users can add small amounts of texts and links. Celebrities use Instagram to promote their own personal brand and small businesses are wise to do the same. Here are four tips to help you find marketing success on Instagram.

Create Content With Value

The fastest way to alienate your followers and cause people to unfollow you on Instagram is by putting out worthless content. As any Miami website design professional would tell you, putting out junk content for the sake of putting out content is almost worse than putting out no content at all. Make sure that the images that you are uploading to your Instagram feed have actual value.

Don’t Ignore Trending Topics

Oftentimes, trending “hashtags” will pop up on Instagram and Twitter. It’s a good idea for companies to familiarize themselves with these hashtags and use them to their advantage. If “#FavoriteFallThings” is trending, then put up a photo of one of your best products for the autumn season. While you never want to force a hashtag, you definitely want to take advantages of the ones that are relevant to your company.

Hold Contests and Giveaways

Smart small business owners use their Facebook and Twitter pages to hold contests and giveaways. This is a great strategy on Instagram as well. Encourage your customers to publish photos of themselves using your product or service and offer a prize for the best photo. This is a great way to really connect on a personal level with your customers.

Treat Your Followers Like Individuals

The best marketing strategy for just about any social media platform is to talk with your customers, rather than to them. The same goes for Instagram. Spend some time scrolling through your customers’ Instagram pages, taking the time to make nice comments and “like” their photos. In the old days, entrepreneurs had to go to trade shows or industry events if they wanted to connect with their customers on a personal level. Nowadays, it’s as simple as logging into your social media accounts. Take advantage of this.

Instagram is a fun way for companies to market their product or service. Unlike other social media platforms, you don’t have to hire a writer or worry too much about SEO. Instead, you can say what you want with a photo. If you follow these tips, you can expand your audience with only a few photos a day. Remember to link your Instagram account to your Twitter and Facebook pages to ensure that all of your accounts are working in conjunction with one another.

The golden age of Facebook was a great time for internet marketers. When Facebook first expanded from a university student-only service to a platform that anyone could use, marketers and small business owners struck while the iron was hot and used this relatively new service to really promote their brands.

Today, it’s sad but true: Facebook is quite flooded. Facebook has given businesses a myriad of options when it comes to marketing themselves, from official “fan pages” for their product to paid advertisements. It’s no longer simple and easy to promote your brand on Facebook.

That’s the bad news. However, there’s good news as well. Although promoting your company via Facebook is more difficult these days, it’s not impossible. Furthermore, companies that have the right strategy can really stand out in the crowd. Here are four tips to build and expand your audience on Facebook.

Don’t Spam Your Customers

Facebook users are typically happy to “like” their favorite companies, especially if they know that these companies frequently hand out coupon codes and deals. However, nothing will ensure that you lose your followers faster than by spamming them with a thousand useless statuses a day. If you think that quantity beats quality when it comes to social media, you’re dead wrong. It is always better to have one or two statuses of value than eleven worthless, “junk” posts.

Going Off Topic Isn’t Just Okay, It’s Encouraged

You do not have to stay on topic on Facebook. In fact, “sharing” humorous images and videos is a good idea. When your Facebook followers re-share these updates on their own walls, your business’s name will be attached to the post. Sharing things that are amusing and thought-provoking is a good way to gain new followers, even if these posts aren’t directly related to your brand.

Treat Your Customers Like People

When you put up a new status promoting that new product or coupon code, your job is not done. Only foolish marketers “post and run.” Instead, you should be monitoring the post and replying to any comments or questions that your followers post in response. Treat your customers like actual people and never give a rude or dismissive reply. The quickest way for a company to go viral in a bad way is by saying something snippy, short or uncaring to a customer on social media.

Have Fun With It

If you treat updating your company’s Facebook page like a chore or an aspect of managing your business that you “have to do,” your followers will be able to plainly see it. You should instead have fun with your company’s Facebook wall. Treat it as a fun outlet where you can share things that make you laugh, in addition to sharing your excitement about your brand or product. If you’re genuinely excited about your company, the enthusiasm will show and your followers will get excited as well.

If you follow these tips, you can enjoy online marketing success on Facebook, no matter how saturated the platform is. Succeeding on Facebook is possible, if you put some real effort into it, create posts with substance and treat your followers like real people.