Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Despite recent criticism among business and political commentators, social media networks remain some of the most important and unifying internet platforms. More than 2.5 billion people use social media networks, and that number is expected to grow in the coming years.
Marketers must rely on more than just hashtags and emojis to make the most of channels like Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. The world’s most successful social media marketers rely on a variety of sophisticated strategies designed to articulate a particular worldview that boosts brand awareness, drives new business and delights followers.
Let’s look at seven creative ways in which you can dramatically improve your social media performance by following the strategies used by elite social media marketers.
1. Develop a multichannel approach.
Just a few years ago, Twitter was the go-to platform for social media marketers. After that, Facebook assumed the mantle as the best social network for marketers. Today, it seems that most marketers prefer Instagram to reach users.
In the future, there is no telling which social media network will be the darling of social media marketers. Marketers should recognize that it is dangerous to focus only on one social network. Instead, marketers should develop an understanding of the target audience. Many people use a variety of networks for different purposes.
Similarly, social media marketers must take a multichannel approach in reaching prospects and customers. Ensure that each platform is used in unique ways to encourage users to follow your brand across services.
2. Invest in influencer marketing.
According to one recent study, roughly 95 percent of marketers who invest in influencer marketing believe it is effective. Some of the world’s leading brands, including Nike, KitchenAid and Rolex, rely on influencer marketing to reach social media users.
Increasingly, internet users have become wary of traditional advertisements. So much so that users have developed “ad blindness,” in which they simply ignore display ads placed prominently on social networks.
To combat this, some brands rely on sponsored content created by social media influencers to build connections with target audiences.
3. Engage commenters as quickly as possible.
Most social media platforms rely on algorithms to determine what content is displayed prominently and what content is buried. Facebook and Instagram use “engagement” as a primary factor in determining what content should or should not be displayed.
One major form of engagement is comments. Posts…
