How to engage your social media fans and followers

Social networking (or call them social media) websites are extremely crowded. Although there are hardly 33-40% social networking users who actually use the websites to interact on an ongoing basis, since everybody is talking with everybody and everybody is talking about everything under the sun, to really make an impact, you need to engage your fans and followers on an ongoing basis, so that they remember you; and not only you, but also what business you do.

Here are a few activities you can carry out in order to engage people on social media and networking websites:

Participate in relevant discussions

Using various Twitter and FaceBook search tools you can find out what people are talking about and then participate in the ongoing discussions in a fruitful manner. Agree with them, add your two cents, disagree with them (give reasons), and seed new thoughts. Don’t worry if you don’t have anything constructive to add…just follow the discussion attentively and soon your thought process will be triggered.

Ask questions and offer answers

We remember people who make us think and a question mark normally does. Whenever you ask a question it offers someone an opportunity to show his/her knowledge. Similarly, when you post an answer in response to someone’s question, he/she is surely going to read it and if your answer is impressive, many more people are going to get curious about you, and consequently, you’ll make a mark.

Share your knowledge and wisdom

As you keep working you’ll excel in your field. You have a collection of experiences, opinions and tips that you can easily share with your followers and fans on a regular basis. Remember that “regularity” is the key here. Unless you’re already quite well known, you need to be “usefully visible” on a regular basis if you really want to engage your social networking fans and followers.

Regularly publish new content on your blog or website

It’s good to post links whether they’re from your own website/blog or from other sources, content on your own website brings in direct traffic and it helps people formulate opinion about you. Whether they like your content or not, whether they agree or not, an opinion is very important.

Communicate on their blogs and websites

When people post links to new articles and blog posts on their websites, if possible, leave a comment and let it be known that you are a visitor from the mutual social networking website. Whether people admit it or not, everybody likes it if visitors leave comments and appreciate what you’re doing.

Be helpful within means

Social networking doesn’t always have to be you-scratch-my-back-and-I-scratch-yours; you can help totally unrelated persons without expecting anything in return. For instance, if you know A offers content writing services and B needs someone to write content for his website and they don’t know each other but you do, you can introduce them. If you feel someone has a business link worthy of promotion don’t hesitate to post the link.

Be personal

Your social networking profile mustn’t always be about business. Act like yourself and if possible, use your name instead of your business name. Without getting carried away, show that you are interested in politics, in social causes, in arts, in sciences, or whatever topic interests you. Just don’t overdo it because then a person visiting your timeline at a particular time may not be able to make out what you actually do.

Conclusion

Social media, as the name suggests, is all about being social. In a society we become visible and memorable by doing something that highlights our presence. Of course our contribution must be positive — you’ll prefer to be known as a good-doer and not an evil-doer. Networking works everywhere and politicians, businesspersons and actors spend huge amounts of money to remain visible (and in the reckoning). While talking small strides and not spending much, you can achieve the same using social media and networking.

2 thoughts on “How to engage your social media fans and followers

  1. Subhash

    Great suggestions Amrit. While reading them one by one I realised I am already doing it. The only thing I don't do is comment on the websites/links provided by friends, though I try to read them.

    Taking a step further, I am writing a comment here. Translating the learnings in to practice!!!
    regards

  2. amrithallan

    Hello Subhash.

    Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your comment. I've observed how much you communicate, and it is really praiseworthy through FaceBook. NGOs should spepcially leverage the power of social media because after all, it's all about people.

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