Social media is a huge driving force for many businesses today. Especially any online business. It is the cheapest form of marketing that currently exist. One of the most common metrics in social media is the amount of followers that a person or business has. The problem with this metric is that it doesn’t really show a real following. Even though there may be a million followers, only about 1% might actually be active followers. When I say active, I mean people who actually keep up with what is going on with the business. In reality, this may only mean 10,000 people are actually keeping up with what is going on. Depending on the type of industry you are in, 1-10% might be the number of active followers. This ultimately changes depending on how much you stay engaged with your audience.
Being engaged with the followers you do have is more important than the overall number of followers you have. These fans/followers will grow with you. Here are a few ways to make sure you are staying actively engaged with them:
- Respond to everyone who comments on your content. Don’t just say ‘thanks’ and be done. Actually discuss the content with them or see if they have any questions.
- Follow your followers. This is a great way to see what it is they are interested in and allows for you to see what their needs may be. You can also use this as a chance to do market research as well. There could be things that you are not including in your content that they may want to see or hear.
- A DM means a lot. Direct messages are a way to reach out to a follower one on one. It means more than just a tweet or response in the comment section. You may actually get some really valuable information discussing things one on one with a follower. It will also make the follower feel more important. Having that conversation can really make a person respect you as a person and not just a public figure or business.
I see many bigger name artists and public figures who don’t really connect with their followers and that makes them seem fake or like they think too much of themselves. It is important to remember that these followers are the ones who are potentially going to be paying you for your service or content. In that regards, they are your source of potential income. Don’t treat them like dogs nipping at your feet. Treat them as real individuals who support what you do.
Thanks for reading this weeks Business with Bordeaux Blog. For all of my blogs and podcasts, you can visit businesswithbordeaux.com.
Thanks and God Bless
