#049
7 Social Media Tactics to 10x Your Growth (Literally)
Read time: 5 min
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In honor of the launch of HNS Media, our new digital marketing agency, we’re diving headfirst into social media tactics.
Whether you like it or not, social media isn’t going anywhere. And that’s a good thing, because it can be a relatively low-cost marketing strategy with a high ROI.
Sure, it’s a bit daunting.
It’s not always fun.
And it can drive us a little crazy.
But it’s a necessary evil.
That’s why we've distilled our experience into seven foolproof social media strategies that can dramatically improve your online presence.
1. You must master the hook.
Your first challenge in social media is grabbing attention – and you only have a few seconds to do so.
The hook, or the first line of your content, should be compelling enough to make people stop their scroll and want to read your remaining post. This is an art more than a science, and it takes practice to get it right, but it’s a necessity for great copywriting.
If you’re just getting started, experiment with some different opening lines by testing variations.
The easiest was to do this is to take a post from a couple of months ago, change up how you start the post, then check the analytics to see if you get a bump in engagement.
A word of caution – don’t lie or embellish in your hooks. Attention grabbing shouldn’t be confused with attention seeking. Your hook should be directly relevant to the rest of your content.
2. Create Conversations Not Likes
Engagement is more than just likes and shares; you need to be paying attention to your comment section.
I’d rather have a post with 50 likes and 100 comments than a 200-like post with only a handful of comments.
Vanity metrics don’t get you closer to closing a sale – conversations do because conversations build "know-like-trust".
Social networks know it takes more effort to leave a comment than hit “like”, so they’ll reward posts where conversations are taking place instead of platitudes.
By crafting your posts to include open-ended questions, you encourage your followers to contribute more than just a quick reaction. This deeper interaction will significantly boost the visibility of your posts.
Social media algorithms across all platforms favor content that generates conversation. Before you hit post, ask yourself, “what type of conversation or reaction am I hoping to spark with this piece of content?”
3. Tailor Your Content for Each Platform
Every social network has its own nuances and preferred content styles.
What works on TikTok, a platform that favors straightforward and beginner-friendly content, might not resonate as well on Instagram or LinkedIn. B2B companies, for example, often find greater success with detailed, informative content on LinkedIn and YouTube because their users are looking to be educated, not just entertained.
Bottom line: good content is good, but the way you’re packaging and delivering that information is platform dependent
Don’t expect to copy and paste from one network to the next with the same results.
4. Originality pays
Repetitiveness is the enemy of engagement.
Our world is constantly evolving, and so should your content. Focus on introducing new ideas, insights, or products to keep your audience interested. Fresh content not only retains followers but also attracts new ones, keeping your brand relevant.
This is easier said than done, however. Writing great content requires you being a voracious reader. You must stay on top of your industry and become exceptional at distilling new ideas into engaging, consumable pieces.
Like anything, all it takes is a little heart and discipline with a touch of knowledge.
5. When it comes to followers, it’s quality over quantity
Back to the whole vanity metric thing. Having a huge follower base used to be the hallmark of social media success.
Today, not so much.
Engagement is king. It’s not enough for people to simply see your content – they need to interact with it.
Think of your posts like a mini-series: each piece should keep your audience coming back for the next episode. This involves storytelling, getting the reader emotionally invested in your journey and wanting to see the saga through.
Engaging content often involves emotional elements that resonate deeply with viewers.
Remember, knowledge is great; but applied knowledge is much better.
6. Lo-fi Content is the way
A recent analysis of 3,000 business accounts on TikTok and Instagram showed that low-fidelity, authentic content performs better, receiving up to 34% more likes and 18% more comments than highly produced alternatives.
Social media thrives on genuineness and relatability.
Audiences prefer real over perfect, which means you should post that shaky, selfie video of you explaining a topic, or that Canva image that took you 10 minutes to make.
Being unapologetically you and posting videos that don’t come off too polished is actually the way to generate more interest.
7. The On/Off Platform Balance
Social media algorithms are tricky.
They’re designed to keep users scrolling within their environment and often penalize content creators trying to “de-platform” users: getting people to leave for a different website.
Places like LinkedIn are great because you have free access to nearly a billion people. It’s completely egalitarian – you don’t need to be part of an elite group to reach certain people.
But you also don’t own any information – LinkedIn does.
So, you need to play the On/Off-Platform balancing game using certain content to appease the algorithm (growing your audience) and other content containing a Call-to-Action taking your audience to a site you own. This affords you direct access to your customers in the future without being dependent on someone else (e.g. LinkedIn).
Closing thoughts
Implementing these strategies will require some experimentation and adjustment, but the payoff can be significant.
I grew my LinkedIn from 3,000 followers to nearly 30,000 in a year using these exact tactics, which is the driving force behind this newsletter, our podcast, the Vet Collective community, and now our marketing agency.
An effective social media strategy isn’t just thrown together. If you’re going to do it, do it right.
Come up with 4-5 content pillars (i.e. topics you’ll post about regularly). Build time for content creation and engaging with your audience into your schedule. Commit to posting consistently for a year.
Then revise and refine along the way.
This week's Harder Not Smarter Podcast episode:
EP 015 of the Harder Not Smarter Podcast - Jon Macaskill: In this episode, former Navy SEAL and founder of Men Talking Mindfulness, Jon Macaskill, discusses his experience in Operation Red Wings (Lone Survivor) and the impact it had on his career and mental health. He shares how he dealt with survivor's guilt and moral injury, and how mindfulness and meditation saved his life. We also dive into the importance of opening up about mental health and building a supportive community to get through life's struggles.
Whether you're struggling mentally yourself, know someone who is, or want to learn what veterans are going through after 20 years of war, you need to check out this episode.
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