Raise your hand if you own a business, but have no idea how to get noticed by dream clients on social media. Your feed, whether on Instagram or Facebook, allows you to connect with millions of potential customers for FREE. That’s a BIG deal!

Here are 5 things you can do right now to up your game on social media:Your social media profile is the first thing new visitors see! If done right, it will be a valuable piece of marketing collateral that you can use time and time again.

Here’s how:

• Don’t forget the basics. Say who you are and what you do as succinctly as possible. Always include your location and a link to your website.
• Check out other business profiles. Scope out the competition! What draws your attention? What pushes you away? Who do you want to connect with? Learn from what others are doing.
• Use a professional profile photo. Research shows that people want to connect to a person, not a product. Introduce your audience to the human face(s) behind your business. South Texas business owners: Contact us for info about scheduling a personal branding + headshot session! We’ll take several headshots of you and your team, giving you lots of profile photo options. BONUS! You’ll also receive branding photos for your website and several months worth of social media content!
• Keep it fresh. Update your profile regularly. If people can see that you’ve been recently active, they will be more inclined to engage with you.

Your social media posts should demonstrate your expertise and show that you understand your customers and their needs. By producing content that your followers can use, you will position yourself as a leader in your field (without having to do a hard sell!)

Here’s how:

• Write “how to” posts that benefit your target audience (A few examples: Realtors, share tips for selling/staging your home. Photographers, post 5 location ideas for a photo shoot. Accountants, give suggestions for saving money on taxes.)
• Share useful information that solves your customers’ problems. This will improve your customer service and inspire loyalty and trust.
• Keep a running list of videos, articles, and lists. The easiest way to post great content (and to post it regularly!) is to keep a list of the content you come across on a daily basis. That way, you have a document to pull from, rather than trying to come up with content on the spot.
• Post before-and-afters. Demonstrate your success stories. Videos, testimonials, & before-and-after photos are powerful!
• Take your followers behind the scenes. People need to know, like, and trust you before they’ll do business with you. Use your social media platform to show them what’s going on behind the scenes on a daily basis.
• Show your face. A great profile photo is a great start… but it isn’t enough! Your customers want to see the person behind the brand on a regular basis. Your face should appear in every 9th post (at a minimum). We are giving you permission to share personal tid-bits on your business page! In the process, you will (1) create interesting content (2) encourage engagement with your target audience and (3) allow your personality to shine!

Social media platforms are all about the visuals! When your feed looks good, people are more likely to like your photos, follow you, and come back for more.

Here’s how:

• Use high-quality images.I mages that are sharp, inviting, and eye-catching make us want to like your post and look at the rest of your page! Struggling to find amazing images? Find a professional branding photographer in your area. They will work with you to design a custom photoshoot that perfectly reflects your brand and story. (South Texas business owners, holler at us!)
• Use a cohesive color palette that matches your brand. This is especially important on Instagram because followers can view all of your photos at the same time.
• Show your personality by choosing a consistent theme (Are you modern & minimalistic, cute & colorful, dark & moody?)

Instagram/Facebook algorithms prioritize accounts that have high engagement with other accounts. Engaging with your audience is one of the easiest ways to grow your network!

Here’s how: 

• Respond to everything. Every comment, every message, every time! People are much more likely to tell friends and family about someone they have a real, human connection with.
• Be a fan! If you want people to be a fan of your brand, then you need to be a fan of your users. Follow the people who represent the message your brand is trying to convey and then engage, engage, engage!
• Don’t be cold and corporate! Let yourpersonality come through in your posts, comments, and DMs. Show people who you really are and they are much more likely to connect with your business.

You need to understand who’s engaging with your posts and what’s resonating most with them.

Here’s how:

If you haven’t gotten up close and personal with your analytics yet, don’t worry! All you really want to know is:
  • What were your top pieces of content in the last month?
  • How much engagement (likes, shares, comments) did they receive?
  • Who is interacting with your content most often?

Arming yourself with this info will make it easier to create content and forge connections.

Still have questions? We would love to hear from you! Feel free to shoot us an email. For daily tips on building a brand and attracting ideal clients, follow us on Instagram.

Thanks for stopping by! We are Jenn + Kaylinn of Bend the Light Photography. We are lifelong best friends, content creation experts, and branding photography specialists. We’ve been an award-winning photography team in San Antonio, Texas since 2007. Our passion is helping entrepreneurs stand out on social media, grow their brands, and attract ideal clients. See our branding work, get daily tips/tricks for upping your social media game, and get to know us better by following us on Instagram!