Having a social media presence is imperative in 2022. Whether you’re a business looking to increase your conversions or an influencer wanting to expand your sphere, building a social media following should be at the top of your priority list. However, it’s not always easy to know how to do this; many people seem to simply achieve social media success without actually trying or working for it.
Of course, this isn’t true, but it can certainly appear that way. The fact is that a lot of work goes into growing a social media profile, but there’s always something you could be doing. Here’s how to grow your social media profile in 2022.
Use external services to help
There are many websites out there that can help you to build a social media following. Some platforms will automatically schedule tweets or posts for you, for example, and will also keep track of your analytics to help you discern what’s working and what isn’t.
Others, such as this site, build followings for you, filling your account with organic followers and increasing your stature that way. Whatever your personal favorite external social media tool may be, you should be making use of whatever is at your disposal – free or paid – to increase your following.
Know your platform
Each social media platform has different metrics and quirks you should be keeping track of. On TikTok, for example, there are different rules for posting content than on Instagram; making TikTok videos is a completely different discipline from posting Instagram content.
Similarly, knowing when to tweet – when to retweet, when to reply, and when to like – can be immensely useful. Whatever platform you’re currently posting on, it’s important to know how that platform works and how its algorithms operate. This should help you to grow your profile.
Hone your content
It might sound obvious, but one of the best ways to grow your social media profile in 2022 is to create great content. If your content isn’t top-notch, then even if you do everything else right, you’ll find people quickly lose interest as they realize you’re not saying or doing anything interesting.
Try to find a unique angle from which to post content. Think about your skillset and personal circumstances. Is there a way you can leverage those things to make your content great? You should also be paying attention to editing, filters, and other aspects of content creation that set you apart from low-effort posters (of which there are many!).
Engage with your followers
There’s a good reason you’ll often hear social media gurus saying that engagement is king. You can have all the followers in the world and be posting amazing content, but if you’re not engaging with comments, then people will quickly grow frustrated with you.
Similarly, an engaged following is vastly preferable to sheer numbers; while having a high number of Instagram or TikTok followers is important, for example, it doesn’t tell the whole story. If those followers never engage with your content, they may as well not be seeing it, and as an influencer or a brand, you’re not making any headway.
Collaborate
Collaboration on social media is, broadly speaking, twofold. First, if you’re a business, you should be reaching out to influencers and discussing collaboration with them. Influencers can help to sell your product in a naturalistic way; if you do it right, you won’t need to spend too much on conventional advertising campaigns.
If you’re an influencer, then you should be looking to collaborate with businesses and brands. In both cases, it’s important to vet your potential partner before you collaborate with them; they could be the wrong business or influencer for you, so make sure to conduct extensive dialogues before you commit.
Cross-pollinate
Each different social media platform can have a beneficial effect on you, whether you’re a business or a brand. For example, you might be hearing that Facebook is declining, but the fact is that it still enjoys the highest number of monthly active users of any platform, so you should still be maintaining a Facebook presence.
Each platform has a different demographic focus, different content emphasis, and different ways to engage, so make sure that your social media strategy incorporates every platform. In addition, you should be cross-promoting social media content on each platform; use your Facebook presence to advertise yourself on TikTok, for example.
Don’t just follow everyone
An account with thousands upon thousands of followed accounts isn’t a great look for a supposedly discerning influencer or brand. If you’re a business, you should be picking who you’re following very carefully indeed.
Follow brands relevant to your industry, and don’t just follow individuals willy-nilly; you need to maintain an air of authority, after all. If you’re an influencer, then it’s important to follow other influencers who are trying to do similar things to you, but again, don’t just follow back everyone who follows you. This will make people think that you’re an important figure rather than just someone desperate for social media success.
Watch your analytics
If you just continue posting whatever you like without worrying about your numbers, you’re going to find it hard to grow your following. All of the major social media platforms provide a way for you to track your stats, but even if you don’t like the built-in tools, you’ll find lots of alternatives online.
By watching your analytics, you can tailor the content you create and make sure you’re only working on the stuff that’s going to grow your following. Pay attention to what content is getting followers and what’s not doing so well, and change your approach accordingly.
