Brands Guide to Not Losing Followers
Being a brand on social media is tough, but it doesn’t have to be. Coming from somebody who manages a personal brand and several business brands, growing and maintaining the latter takes a lot more effort and data.
A key step in this process is figuring out why a brand is losing followers. There are several reasons, but the most apparent is due to a brand posting too much promotional content.
1. Stop Posting So Much Promotional Content
I know, I know revenue generating activity is how you keep a business afloat but promotional content is annoying to your consumers. Even loyal consumers are tired of it. They don’t want to hear about another promotion on their Instagram or Facebook feed. And 46% of people that have clicked the unfollow button have admitted that too much promotional content is the culprit. (Social Times)
Coupons and ads can be great. But you absolutely need to keep these posts at a minimum. And when you do a promotion make sure that it’s impactful and that the messaging is on point. Intelligent brands create an authentic voice. This authenticity creates trust, character, and appeal. Thus resulting in real followers, which translates to real feedback, engagement, and down the line it works to boost your brands bottom line.
2. Stop Neglecting Your Users
Another huge factor is response rate. Users that send a direct message or make a comment on a brands page are looking to be responded to. And those that are not being responded to in a timely manner are clicking the dreaded unfollow button as well.
You’re understaffed, social will be a priority in 2017, we have too many platforms and too much chatter about our brand… I have heard them all. But there are platforms to house the in and out, there are agencies to pick up the slack, and social media should be a priority starting today.
3. Stop Sounding Like a Brand
Take the plunge, take the risk, be authentic. Have a voice, avoid hollow generic captions, and avoid stock imagery! Put your brand on the line and drive people to your brand with phenomenal content and messaging. Take part in trending topics, and differentiate yourself from competitor brands. It’s unconventional, and downright scary to create an authentic voice for a brand but research and data has shown its immense impact over the long haul.
The overall key here is to be attentive, and to run your business brand as if it were a personal brand. There is a reason personal brands are far more attractive on Facebook, IG, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and that’s because they are more personal, authentic, and attentive. They have a voice, a style, and they provide users with a “friend.” They don’t aim to sell, they don’t aim to promote, and if they do, they do it organically and authentically. Brands are not excused from these rules to social media success!