Organic reach on social is dead. At least that’s what everyone says. Are you searching for ways to increase organic reach on social media?
The truth is, while organic social reach is declining it is still important. Paid reach and organic reach on social have very different purposes, and each is essential for a balanced social media presence.
Not all businesses, especially small businesses, can afford considerable paid social media marketing efforts. However, if you increase organic reach on social, you can build a targeted audience of engaged followers. Keep reading for the top 15 tips to improve organic reach on social.
Table of Contents
1. Know your audience
Before you post anything on social media, or even open a social media account for your business, you must know your audience. Buyer personas and targeted customer profiles will be essential for every step of posting, sharing, and engaging on social media. You cannot build organic social reach unless you know who your target audience is, where they are, and what they want to see.
2. Choose the right social media platforms
Some businesses are quick to create social media profiles for every available channel. Before you spend a lot of time signing up for everything from Facebook to Pinterest to Twitch, consider your audience. Which channels does your target audience care about? Where are they sharing and engaging the most on social media? To increase organic reach on social, maximize your potential by focusing on the right social media platforms.
3. Complete your profile on your social media channels
Optimized social media profiles can help improve your organic social reach. Think of social media algorithms like SEO for Google; boosting the visibility of your content comes through optimization. Keep your username simple and easy to recognize, add your branding and logo to your social media profiles, and use descriptions that are rich with keywords. When you add a link to your website, make sure it is trackable to collect important data.
4. Worry about quality over quantity
You cannot cheat the system when it comes to organic reach on social. From buying fake likes to using clickbait headlines for your content, there are many ways to waste your time and lose followers. Instead, try investing in your social media content. It is more important to post less frequently but share valuable content that engages your audience than it is to span your followers throughout the day.
5. Target your specific audience
You can maximize your organic reach on social media by targeting members within your audience. Facebook even allows you to target organic posts and alter which members of your audience will see the content. Options like gender, education level, age, and location can all be modified to best suit your content.
6. Determine the best types of content
There are several options when it comes to the types of content to post on social media. While some content, like videos, tends to be more engaging overall, it is essential that you determine what types of content work best for your brand. Post a variety of content types and review the data to see which posts engaged your audience the most.
7. Work in content that lasts
Evergreen content is a great way to improve organic reach on social. Content that has an expiration date is more likely to be passed over, and it can be a waste of your precious marketing resources. Focus on common topics or issues in your industry, share educational information, share something relevant but funny, or tug on the heartstrings.
8. Be an authority
Set your brand apart from others by establishing yourself as an authority in your industry. This can be done in a variety of ways, depending on your business and audience. From publishing educational articles and thought leader videos to sharing customer testimonies and highlighting success stories, make sure your followers know you can be trusted.
9. Promote your social media
Your presence on social media should be obvious to existing customers and potential customers to improve your organic reach on social. Highlight your social media channels on your website, in your store, in your email signature, and any other relevant customer-facing places. If you share blogs or similar content on your website, add social media buttons so individuals can like or share content quickly.
10. Post during non-peak hours
If you are just starting to focus on organic reach on social media, your content can get lost during peak hours. Research the busiest time of day for each of your platforms, and try to post in the off-hours. Additionally, you can use data analytic software to see what the best times to post for your audience is. While fewer people may be online, there is a better chance your content will be seen. As you improve organic reach on social, you can post more frequently during busy hours.
11. Balance promotional and useful content
To improve reach organically on social, you cannot be selling all the time. While it is important to share promotional content on your social media channels, there must be a balance. Your content must be engaging and useful for your audience. Even promotional content should add some kind of value for your followers.
12. Engage with social media followers
Social media is a two-way street. Instead of talking to your customers, talk with them. Share relevant and valuable content, then pay attention to their feedback. You can increase organic reach on social by responding to comments and questions, interacting with your followers, and creating lasting bonds between users and your business.
13. Create a unique brand
You should be spying on your competition on social media, but you should never copy them or anyone else. If you want to improve organic social reach, you have to be unique. What can you offer to your audience that no one else can? Build your brand on social media, including a unique voice and style that is all your own.
14. Pay attention to the data
Social media platforms offer a wealth of free data and insights for businesses. Make use of the analytic tools on your social media channels to understand your audience and your industry. Use the data to fine tune your organic social media strategy and improve your relationship with your audience.
15. Harness the power of groups
Finally, you can boost organic social reach by making your customers feel important and valued. One way to accomplish this is through groups. You can create groups on social media that consist of your top customers or most engaged audience members. Ask for their opinions and feedback, listen to what they have to say, and incorporate their suggestions into your organic social reach strategy when possible.
