Which social media strategies actually work? Are there any best practices that can help you make the most of the time and money you spend on social media? What do other marketers do to optimize their social media efforts?
Adobe and Software Advice teamed up to answer these very questions in their Social Media Content Optimization survey. They surveyed 182 marketers to see which strategies marketers are currently using to optimize their social media marketing.
The following 6 tips are best practices you can use to effectively optimize your social media marketing!
6 Mind-Blowing Tips to Optimize Your Social Media Marketing
1. Use hashtags.
67% of respondents said they found hashtags important or very important in their marketing mix.
Hashtags can not only help you find new people to reach, they can give people a way to find YOU.
Some tips for using hashtags in your marketing include:
- Figure out which hashtags influencers in your niche are using
- Find trending hashtags in your niche
- Look for conversations happening around your brand or niche
- Create your own hashtags to create buzz around a contest, promotion or marketing campaign
For more tips on using hashtags in your business, see my post How to Find Great Hashtags to Market Your Business.
2. Schedule your posts 1-7 days in advance.
41% of respondents said they schedule their social media posts several days to one week in advance, while a total of 65% say they schedule their content at least 1 day in advance.
Scheduling your posts gives you a cushion in case of unforeseen circumstances, and ensures you don’t forget to post regularly. Consistency is key to social media marketing success, and scheduling is the best way to make sure you maintain it.
3. Use images.
You have heard me emphasize the importance of using images before, but I cannot stress it enough:
Images are one of the best tools we have for increasing engagement on social media.
Respondents reported images as being the #1 most crucial element in their social media marketing; 82% of marketers said images were important or very important.
Watch your analytics carefully to see which types of images your audience prefers: Humorous? Motivational? Inspirational? Infographics? Then make sure to post these more often in order to increase engagement.
To see some FREE tools you can use to create your own images, check out my post 6 Free tools to Create Eye Catching Graphics.
4. Post 1-3 times per day minimum.
70% of marketers surveyed said they posted on social media at least once per day, with 19% saying they posted 3x per day. For business owners looking to build their brand and grow their social media presence, I always recommend posting at least 3x per day.
It is all about finding the optimal balance between posting too little and too much: I encourage you to try posting at different frequencies (1x per day, 3x per day, 5x per day, etc.) to see how often your fans and followers want to hear from you.
5. Be active on at least 3-4 social networking sites.
According to the survey, most marketers (84%) are active on at least 3 social networks, while 61% are active on at least 4 networks. This means that if you want to remain competitive, you may want to consider adding a network or two to your marketing mix.
Facebook and Twitter are generally a good idea for all business owners.
To figure out which other sites you should be using, consider the following:
- Are you targeting educated professionals? Check out LinkedIn.
- Is your business in the fashion, cooking, home décor or retail niches? Consider Pinterest.
- Are ‘techy types’ interested in what you have to offer? Google+ is a must.
6. Use trial and error to determine optimal posting times.
There are many stats floating around that claim to give the optimal times to post to social media. And while these can be helpful as a starting point, your best bet is to try various times to see which ones work best for your audience.
87% of marketers stated that it was at least moderately important to test shares and click through rates at different times to determine the best days and times to post.
And there you have it – My 6 mind-blowing tips to optimize your social media marketing! As always, keep in mind that while these may be best practices, they may not all be ‘best’ for you! Continue testing and tweaking until you find the most effective strategies for your audience!
What would you add to this list? What best practices work best for you in terms of posting frequency, scheduling and optimal posting times?
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Really mind blowing, the statistics and strategies are very impressive and I’m ready to apply in work. Thanks for sharing keep going.
A Really Nice Information If You Gave Us In Communication. Thanks
The tips you shared in this blog is really amazing. It helps me to get a lot of information about how to increase website traffic through social media optimization. Thanks for sharing such an amazing blog.
Hi,
I have gone through your blog regarding “6 Mind-Blowing Tips to Optimize Your Social Media Marketing”. Also the way in which you tell about different aspects of social media marketing.