Growing an online following as a brand can be a lot of work. Not only do you have to invest time in your products and advertising, but building a following can feel like a full-time job on its own.
These are the best ways to connect with an online audience, gain more followers, and create brand recognition that can easily turn into sales.
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Positive Interaction With Leads
Even if your brand is supposed to be high-class and more expensive: you have nothing to gain if you treat your leads with a cold or clinical tone. Instead, be friendly when posting on the brand’s social media, and answer questions where you can. People follow brands that interact with them because it feels personal and interesting.
Of course, you don’t have to thank everyone who follows you or responds to every comment on a post about your brand, but you should build a connection to let them know this isn’t a one-way road.
Interaction With Similar Businesses
Interact with businesses that are similar to your own! This can seem silly out of context because you may assume that calling any interest to your competitors would be bad: but their audience is an audience you want. So interact to some degree with them, be friendly.
If you’re a small one or two-person business, like a sticker company, treat your competitors as your colleagues. Learn from their mistakes and successes, and build a brand for yourself.
Create A Personality for Your Brand
Everyone wants to build a connection with their audience. For brands, this can be more difficult because there’s less personality to work with there. Instead of keeping it sterile and business-only, create a persona for your online brand that aligns with what your customers or leads would be interested in.
Wendys, for example, built the persona of a funny and sarcastic chronically-online meme-ing 20-something. This did really well for them when they leaned into it and gained a huge Twitter following.
Use Paid Media To Your Benefit
Paid media is an awesome way to increase the followers and attention your content receives. Whether you’re building a following to gain more customers or trying to allow your brand to gain some general recognition, it’s a good idea to invest in paid media.
The type of media you pay for will range from blog entries to YouTuber reviews depending on what kind of product you’re offering. Consider where your customers or leads would be: and advertise to them there.
Avoid Forcing Virality
Some who are new to studying viral hits may assume a formula they can follow to make their products or company go viral. Although there is manufactured virality, it usually only works if it already has hundreds of thousands of followers. You can do everything you can to try and gain followers, but you have to avoid looking like you’re grasping and trying too hard. People get put off being advertised to, so avoid being obvious.
Remember to avoid drama, keep honest about what your company offers, and stay positive online. Meltdowns and public arguments will only hurt your company.