Ten Ways to Grow Social Media Following

Once you have your craft business or your Etsy shop up and running, you will need to spend time promoting your business.  Social media is a great way to introduce consumers to your brand and to reach a larger audience.  Here are ten tips on how to grow your social media following for your craft business.

How to Grow Your Social Media Following:

1. Create strong social profiles

Give people a good sense of who you are by having a strong profile on all of your social media accounts. Use branded cover photos and profile pictures that are recognizable. Fill out all of the details on each site to include a simple bio or business summary, your website link, and your contact information. Having social media profiles that look polished and professional will help readers trust your content and share it.

Image via Eaters Collective/Unsplash

2. Share high quality content

A top tip for how to grow your social media following is to use beautiful images, great ideas, and inspiring messages that draw people in. Grow your base of followers by developing a reputation for high quality content. An eye catching picture or a humorous meme will elicit comments and shares. It can be tempting to only share links to your products, but in order to grow your follower base you will need to draw them in with high quality content that goes beyond just what you are marketing. Sharing, re-posting, and re-tweeting high performing posts from other influencers is an easy way to share great content.

3. Add links to social accounts on your site

Make it easy for others to follow you by placing links to your social media accounts in visible places on your website or business page. Don’t bury them at the bottom of the page! Add social icons to your header and/or sidebar so they can’t be missed. You can use various apps to help you do this, or you can use the official buttons and widgets available through each social media platform. It’s also a good idea to add links to your social media pages in the signature of your email account.

Image via NorWood Themes/Unsplash

4. Use advertising

Learn how to grow your social media presence by using advertising. Every social media outlet offers advertising. For a fee you can promote your brand or a specific post/tweet. Most offer targeted marketing, so you can zero in on potential customers and reach a very specific audience. This is a great way to get the most out of your investment. To learn more about advertising rules and guidelines for each social medium go to: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and  Pinterest.

5. Participate in groups

Find groups within your niche where you can help each other grow. There are paid groups, like Moolah Marketer, where successful influencers teach you how to expand your social media influence. There are free Facebook groups based on craft mediums, such as a die cutting group or a Mod Podge group, where crafters share ideas. By participating in these groups as an “expert”, or even creating your own group that you moderate, you can reach more potential followers.

Image via Ben Kolde/Unsplash

6. Use hashtags

Hashtags work and are a great way to get noticed. Pay attention to trending hashtags and see if you can jump on the bandwagon. On Instagram, many influencers re-comment, adding the hashtags in your first comment or at least below your photo description.

7. Interact, comment, and share

This is one of the more time consuming tasks, but being on social media means you need to be social, too! Reply to fans comments so that they know you are there and paying attention. Interact with other pages to help increase your visibility. For example, if you buy your supplies from a major craft brand like Darice, share your projects on their page to give others an idea of how to use those supplies. If you have a booth at a local market, comment, share, and interact with their posts and tweets. You will build relationships with other influencers as well as reach a larger audience.

Image via Raw Pixel

8. Use video

Videos draw people in. Thanks to mobile devices and multiple apps, it is easier than ever to make a quick video to share a new product sneak peek, a behind the scenes look, or any other interaction that will draw viewers in. Facebook Live is an easy way to interact with your fans. Encourage your viewers to share your video and to tag friends to help you reach a bigger audience. Instagram stories are another way to reach a different audience. Test each one out to see which one helps you reach more people.

9. Find The Best Times To Share To Social Media

Afternoons are typically the best time to share on social media, but each of your accounts may vary. You will want to check your analytics data to see when your fans are most active. Each social media avenue usually offers some type of analytics tool. On Facebook, click on “insights” to get an idea of when your fans interact most with you, and schedule posts for those times. Twitter and Instagram both offer analytics for professional or business page accounts.

Image via William Iven

10. Offer Giveaways and Special Offers

People love a good deal, and everyone loves free stuff. You can use giveaways and contests to engage your fans as well as gain new followers. Giveaways that encourage your fans to retweet and share within their circles helps draw attention to your brand. Contests encourage your followers to actively participate on your page, which increases your visibility. Special offers that are only available via social media will encourage fans to keep checking in with you as well as prompt them to share great coupon codes or discounts with their friends.

This is a lot of information to take in, so feel free to bookmark or pin this page for future reference.  You can work through each item on the list at your own pace.  Pretty soon all of these things will feel like second nature, and maybe then you’ll come back and share your tips on how to grow your social media brand with us!