Network Magazine autumn 2016 | Page 28

HOW CAN YOUR BUSINESS GET MORE LOVE ONLINE? Having social media accounts for your business is a given in 2016 – but if you don’t proactively build a quality following then you could be shouting into the abyss. WORDS: MICHELLE LE GRAND o, you’ve set up your Facebook page for your fitness business, you have an Instagram account, and you are Tweeting happily away. Naturally, your thoughts turn to how to get more people to follow you. Your business may not be on Tinder, but you still want people who find it online to show their approval by metaphorically swiping right. More followers, more likes, more shares, more exposure, more leads, more business – right? Well, you can always pay for more fans, but let’s not go down that road – you always want quality over quantity. Let’s look at some other ways to get more people to pay attention to you. S The basics Make sure your website has all your social media details and direct links to the pages. In fact, make sure every marketing activity you do always contains your social media channels, such as your brochures, business cards and email signatures. Add a ‘Like’ button to your website. People who visit your website probably read your pages and blog posts, listen to your podcasts or enjoy other information you post. They are consumers of your content already, and the Like button makes it very easy for them to click one button to instantly follow you. Ensure your ‘Contact me’ page contains all your social media channels. Include plugins to embed your social media pages on your website. People can then like and share your details without leaving your site. Remember: the easier you make it, the more likely they are to actually follow or like you. Tell all your friends, members, clients, leads, in fact everyone in your network, that you are on 28 | NETWORK AUTUMN 2016 Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t be shy – use your email lists and databases to make sure everyone knows you are on social media, and give them a compelling reason to follow you. You should also use your personal social media accounts and pages to promote your business ones. Stop accepting friend requests from people who should be liking your business page, and drive them there instead. Cross promote your social media channels with each other – for example: • Link to your company’s Facebook Fan Page on the home page of your company website • Link to your company’s Facebook Fan Page in all emails • Become a Fan of your own Fan Page and suggest it to your Friends list • Use Twitter to announce your new Fan Page and offer deals to new Fans • Link to your Facebook Fan page on your Blog and other social profile sites • Use Facebook content in email newsletters • Post links from newsletter articles on Facebook. And always remember to tell people why they should follow you – so many businesses neglect to do this. For example, ‘Follow us to get access to exclusive Instagram deals’ or ‘Like us on Facebook to get the inside scoop on the latest fitness trends’ – you get the picture.