Social Media Marketing 101
Actionable Guide

Social media is no longer a “fun” tool used to top off your marketing campaign. It is an integral, powerful part of your marketing – and one that requires a great deal of time and effort. 

We live in a virtual world with more than 3.6 billion social media users. To engage with shoppers on a personal level, you need a platform that reaches them directly. Whether it’s Twitter or Instagram, Facebook or TikTok, your social media platform(s) of choice dictates your connection to your audiences. 

There are many ways you can snag people’s attention as they scroll through their feeds, but some tactics are certainly more affordable and quick than others. Today, we want to share with you ten social media hacks that are as easy as they are effective. 

The Top 10 Social Media Marketing Hacks

1. “Batch” Your Social Media Posts

Instead of sitting down on your computer every day, thinking about what Tweets to send and pictures to post, consider “batching” your social media. Allot one day a week to serious planning and scheduling in batches. Then, you’ll only need to dedicate five to ten minutes for daily check-ins.

Batching doesn’t just allow you to save time each day – it encourages you to plan ahead for high-volume posts. You’ll be better prepared to set up multi-image Instagram posts or a whole Twitter thread rather than a single Tweet.

The more time you spend batching your posts every few days, the more on top of things you’ll feel throughout your busy week. Think smarter, not harder, when it comes to social media marketing campaigns.

2. Stay Consistent Across the Board

Wondering how this tip is really a “hack?” Well, consistency equates to immediate brand recognition. If your audience instantly spots and recognizes your posts amongst hundreds of others, you’ve already done half the work.

Your brand might not be as iconic or universally recognizable as Starbucks, Nike, or other big-wigs, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on maintaining a consistent brand image.

Stick to a set color scheme. Pick one logo to use on all profiles. Maintain a steady voice and use similar language on all posts.

By simply deciding to be consistent with your branding efforts, you’ll imbue your company (and its social profiles) with a sense of professionalism. People will be quicker to recognize – and trust – your brand when they stumble across it on their social media.

3. Play With Memes – Carefully

Using “memes” in your social media campaign is a bold strategy. If you do it wrong, you come across looking ignorant or out-of-the-look. On the other hand, if you do it right, you’ll make people feel connected to your brand on a whole new level. 

As with all things in life, balance is key. You want your social media profiles to be as fun as they are informative, as humorous as they are effective.

A witty use of a popular internet meme won’t just make your followers laugh. It will make them think twice about your brand. Comedy humanizes your company, and you’ll entertain your followers as you subtly engage with them for your own profit. 

After all, you’re on social media to get a reaction out of your followers and encourage engagement. What better way is there to do that than with a perfectly timed, popular meme? 

4. Interact With Social Media Followers Frequently

Speaking of using social media for engagement, you shouldn’t respond to followers whenever the mood strikes you. Social algorithms reward brands that frequently communicate with their audience and followers appreciate a brand that seems highly present online.

Post regularly, but also respond to comments and questions as quickly as you can. You want your followers to feel like you’re there to connect with them on a personal level. If you really want to go the extra mile, schedule live posts where they can directly ask questions and engage with your team.

5. Share Valuable Knowledge

We joke that the internet is just a place for cat memes, but in reality, it’s the biggest source of education on the planet. 

People turn to websites – and social media – for answers to their questions, and your brand can meet them halfway by offering up knowledge in your specific field.

If other hacks like sharing memes showcase your personality, sharing informative blog articles or social posts showcases your credibility. You want attention from your audience, but that can’t all be giggles and grins. Your brand needs to offer something with real value in order to stand a chance against the competition. 

If you’re not sure where to start, consider sharing a few “how-to” posts or other kinds of informational guides. Think about the kinds of topics your followers are interested in, then flush out advice columns, blogs, stories, and social posts that will pique their interest. 

6. Get on a Schedule

Far too many brands underestimate the sheer power of regularity. You can’t just throw up a social post on a whim every now and then and expect to see impressive results. 

Brands with the best social media presence are working on a structured schedule to get new content on people’s feeds almost every day, if not multiple times a day.  

To hack social media scheduling, consider turning to a management tool that will schedule and automatically publish posts for you. Not only will this save you time, but it will also ensure you stay on track with the schedule that works best for your brand and its audience. 

There are many social media scheduling tools out there that offer different services and benefits. Think about what you want from the scheduling service, then do some research to find the tool that best suits your brand’s needs. 

A few of our favorite social media automation tools include Publer, Hootsuite, and Eclincher, but there are many options out there that are worth exploring. 

7. Use Emojis Strategically

At one point, emojis/emoticons were certainly considered unprofessional. Now? Learning to strategically use those little graphics is a surefire way to increase engagement on social media.  

In a 2019 survey, 51% of respondents said they are more likely to engage with a post if it includes emojis. You’ll see brands as big as Apple and as small as the lemonade stand down the road using emojis to catch people’s eyes and spur action. 

The trick is to use emojis purposefully – not willy nilly like a 12-year-old who just received their first iPhone. You want to grab people’s attention, then keep them on your post with more than just a colorful little emoticon. 

8. Host Games, Contests, and/or Giveaways

If you really want to get people buzzing and boost your follower count, hosting a game or giveaway is a great strategy. People want to interact – especially when there’s a reward waiting for them at the end of the engagement. 

From interactive videos to platform games and prize drawings, these tactics have the potential to go viral. That’s especially true if you encourage people to like, share, and comment as a method of engaging with the post or entering a contest. 

A word of advice: keep your giveaways and contests within your brand’s field. For example, if you’re a skincare product company, don’t give away something totally outside your realms like a guitar or kitchen mixer. People come to your brand for a reason – give the people what they want. 

9. Share User-Generated Content

This one comes as no surprise. People love brands that feature their customers, and many successful online businesses have been doing it for years. 

Use a specific hashtag or submission procedure to find user-generated content. Then, share it for all the world to see on your social media profiles. The featured followers will appreciate their moment in the spotlight, and future customers will be tempted to jump in on the fun for a chance to earn a feature. 

User content can be creative, such as video submissions or images featuring your products. USG can also be as simple as a featured review left on your company website, then shared across social media. 

Why is user-generated content such a powerful hack? 

Because people trust people. They want to hear from other “real” customers who have used (and liked) your brand and its products. They want social proof that supports your claims. 

You can talk to them about your services until you’re blue in the face, but if there are no real customer pictures, testimonials, or reviews to back you up, it won’t matter to your followers. 

10. Create an Augmented Reality Lens

Lastly, think about jumping on the social media “filter” or lens bandwagon. You’ve seen many of these AR lenses as they add adorable hearts above the user’s selfies or transform your voice or features into something entirely new. 

Augmented reality is quickly becoming an everyday part of our lives – and your brand would be smart to capitalize on this trend. If you have the means/knowledge to create a sophisticated lens for Instagram or Facebook stories or even TikTok, it’s worth a shot. 

Some brands are even using AR as a chance to sell their products in a whole new way. With their smartphone camera and favorite social media app, users can try on shoes or sunglasses, or even test out different shades of makeup with a special filter. 

More than 500 million people visit Facebook stories daily, and roughly the same number use Instagram stories at least once a day. If you can get in front of these users, that’s a huge pool of potential followers (and hopefully, customers).  

This hack isn’t quite as easy as some of the others, considering it requires some intense graphic design knowledge and skills. However, if you have the means to create a “filter” or lens for social media, it’s well worth the time and effort in many cases. 

Ask for Social Media Help When You Need It

These are just ten hacks out of the millions that exist. We know social media planning can be confusing and overwhelming. You want the biggest bang for your buck, but you also want to cultivate a brand image that will last for years to come. 

At Foxxr Digital Marketing, we’re here to help with social media and every other aspect of online marketing. From content creation to Instagram posts and more, our services give you everything you need to leave a big footprint in your average customer’s timeline. 

If you’re not sure where to start with these tips, or you want to learn where your weakest social media points are, give us a call at 727-379-2207. You can also shoot our team a message online to set up a free consultation. Social media might seem overwhelming, but with the right people and online tools on your side, we promise it’s not nearly as intimidating as you think.

First Published: Nov 30, 2015