New Ways to Gain Social Media Followers Organically in 2017

Dhariana Lozano — January 13, 2017 Follow @DhariLo

The new year is here, so I wanted to recap some of the 2016 updates that will help you gain social media followers organically in 2017.

Instagram:

Strategically comment on posts

To gain exposure and gain social media followers organically I always mention getting out there and interacting with social media accounts from other brands, and your audience – I know, it’s time consuming, but in 2017 getting organized and strategic can help you with this task. Choose 5 brand accounts that are similar to yours and leave one genuine comment on their 3 recent photos every week. Commenting will expose your account to people who are interacting with content that is similar to yours.

Like post comments

Instagram recently rolled out an update that lets you like comments – just like on Facebook. This adds an extra (and easy) opportunity to get some more interaction going for your account. Popular accounts can get hundreds of comments! Remember that list I suggested you make for the tip above? Look for a posts on those target accounts that resonate with your audience and go through and like the good comments. This will bring visibility to your account and help you gain social media followers organically. Don’t forget to like comments left on your own photos as well.

Use Instagram Stories and Live stories

Instagram Stories and Live Stories can seem a little scary, but they should absolutely be part of your 2017 social media strategy. Not only will you be able to give more context about you, your posts or your business, but creating this kind of content can also push you to be featured in Instagram’s Explore section – imagine all the exposure you can gain from that!

Not sure what to even do on a live steam? I got ya’ll – read:

• 4 Ways to Use Live Video on Instagram Twitter and Facebook
  
• 4 Ways to Use Instagram Stories for Business

Facebook:

Use Live Video

Again, video is a big deal and Live Videos get the most reach by far compared to other content formats. There are so many ways to use Facebook Live Videos – click on that link above for a few ideas you can tailor to your business. Facebook also lets you upload 360 degree videos and photos.

Invite Post Likers to Like Your Page

A feature which has come to light more recently, you can invite folks who have liked your post but may have not necessarily liked your page to like your page. We’ve used this method with my clients and it’s an easy way to get a quick win in 2017. To do this navigate to your Facebook fan page, click on the post likers and a light box will pop up. Next to each person’s name will be a little wheel, clicking on the wheel will give you the option to invite the person to like the page if they haven’t already. Easy peasy.

Live Audio

In 2017 Facebook will be rolling out live voice only broadcasts, which is great for all my camera shy people out there.

Twitter:

Use live video

Tired of reading that yet? Live videos add a layer of personality and an element of surprise and delight for your fans. You can create a live video on Twitter directly from the app and the video will stream on your Periscope account as well (which will only help your following on that platform simultaneously). Twitter just launched the ability to post Live 360 degree videos to the mix for those of you more advanced content creators out there.

Take advantage of the 140 Character update

This past year Twitter released the 140 Character update. One of the best parts of the update now allows a little more room for your tweets. You can use all of your 140 characters when including a link or photo. Make sure to stick your link at the end of your tweet or your character count will be cut back by 22 characters. This new update gives you more wiggle room to add hashtags, or just get a full thought out.

General Tips:

Incorporate video: Since videos are getting so much reach and interaction I suggest adding more videos to your 2017 social media strategy. Don’t be nervous you can create simple videos that still deliver great impact.

Use high quality images: Keep your images as high quality as possible or use stock imagery where appropriate.

Keep Consistent: Remember that consistency is key and letting an account go dormant or not posting enough will not help your presence grow. My rule of thumb is to post at least 3 times a week.

Think about your story: When you develop your posts or campaigns think about the story you want to tell. This should help you craft ideas about content and messaging for you channels.

Have fun and test new features! Surprise and delight your audience (and show them you know how to use the network) by not being afraid to test new features that roll out. They may not always work out for your business, but if you can use them effectively they add an extra element to your social media presence.

And last but not least keep interacting! This is the most time consuming, but most effective way to get in front of new followers. Interact with brands similar to you, related brands, influencers, and folks from your target audience.

Good luck in 2017!

P.S. For a few more tips to keep in mind when heading into 2017 by reading: How to increase organic reach on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and more!

This article was originally published here.

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