Whenever we join social media, we dream of gaining a large following and connecting with more people on social media platforms. The growth of online content creation has also meant that there are countless job opportunities to gain from having a large social media following and many seek to get to that point.
There are shortcuts to gain following, among them buying followers but this will often have the downside of a lower engagement-to-followers ratio, meaning companies that would like to work with you will stay away.
So, how then, do you build a large social media following organically?
Invite people known to you
The easiest way to gain engagements that will increase your page’s visibility is by inviting family and friends on social media. While this is a small step, it gives you a little momentum. Interacting with family and friends on your social media pages increases your post engagements, which means the algorithm will then make your page more visible, thus, increasing the chances of more people following you.
Be active and engaging
Post daily, and if possible, multiple times a day so that your page gets more visibility. Additionally, if you post, always respond to comments and engage with your audience. Engaging with people in the comments makes you out to be someone worth following, and your target audience will stick around and even invite their friends to follow you.
Cross-promote on other social media platforms
This might seem like a no-brainer, but many people often do not promote themselves on other social media platforms. If you have a presence on one social media platform, you can then promote your pages on other platforms so that your followers can follow you across the board.
If you have a presence on Twitter or Instagram for example, you could promote your YouTube or Facebook page and vice versa. This makes people aware of your presence on other platforms which means that become more likely to follow you.
Customize content for each platform
Every social media platform is different and thus, you will have to tailor content for each. This includes videos, photos, format and length, captions and so much more.
So, follow the successes of people across each of these platforms so that you get a better following. For example, short and witty captions will get more engagements on Twitter, but a nicely done photo will crack on Instagram. Facebook also rewards good photography, but it is also a text-heavy platform.
Try to get the best from each to grow your following.
Use hashtags
Hashtags also help with page visibility, which means that you get to be part of a major trend and stay engaged with the community. However, do not just join any hashtags and instead, find ones that are in line with your content or what you aim to achieve. You can find hashtag inspiration on Hashtagify. me or Hashtags.org.
Try all the above and watch your social media page grow within a few weeks. And remember, if you go viral, take advantage of that too!