4 easy ways: How to grow your social media networks

4 ways to grow your social media networks

Last month I was all set to speak at the ProBlogger conference on the Gold Coast. It’s always an honour to be asked to speak, but I did say yes a little hesitantly. Hesitantly because I was due to give birth only a few weeks before hand, and if I was overdue then I’d have only given birth a few days before the conference. I was hopeful and excited though, so I said yes all the same {with the ProBlogger team totally understanding that it might not happen due to baby stuff}.

As the date came closer I realised that it was going to be stressful and a little unachievable, so I let the team know that it was probably best if I stood down from the panel. As I breastfed and held my sleeping baby I pretty much stalked the social media feeds. It almost felt like I was there. Not as fun, but I got a sense for all that went on.

The panel I was supposed to speak on was a more casual panel with a Q&A style format on the topic of growing social media channels. Today I wanted to share my top ways to grow your social media networks:

ONE: BE YOU

In a social situation it’s easy to tell when someone isn’t being themselves, and it doesn’t take long to see when someone isn’t quite being their true self. People really do want to see the real you. Whether you’re a business, or a personal blogger – share a little bit of yourself, let your personality shine and allow the real you to creep into your social media networks. So on Facebook: Use your normal language. On Instagram: Share your everyday life. Staged is pretty, real is better. Twitter: Be you.

TWO: BE USEFUL

What are you offering your audience? It can be easy to be self-involved online, but you need a healthy mix of you and a little bit for your readers too. Have a think about what you have to offer? How can you do that through your networks? Offer solutions, a platform for sharing, inspiration or whatever it is that your audience might want. The Organised Housewife offers great solutions and ideas for organising your life on Facebook. Aldi Mum offer insights into the best products to buy at Aldi. If you’re not sure how you can be useful, check out pages that you like or your friends like and consider how you can learn from what they offer.

THREE: BE DEMANDING

And not in a diva-like manner, but in a way that asks your audience to get active. You want your followers to do something, not just read and move on. So what’s your call to action? On Instagram you want them to like or comment on your photos, or even share. On Facebook you ideally want shares, likes or comments. On Twitter you want to be retweeted or favourited. On Pinterest you want to be repinned. Consider your call to action and how you can get your audience to be active. Photo A Day is a good example of this. It gets people involved across all platforms in taking photos, joining conversations and being part of a movement.

FOUR: BE CONSISTENT

Social Media can be overwhelming. I put my hand up and totally agree. Google+ has been tugging at my skirt for me to pay attention to it for well over a year now, and it’s something I’ll give some love in the new year. Don’t feel like you have to be great at everything. Just pick one and start there. Give your attention to one platform, or even three and master those. I work on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter daily, and then Pinterest weekly.

Do you have anything else to add? Any hot tips to share? Did you go to ProBlogger 2013? What was the best thing you learned?

16 thoughts on “4 easy ways: How to grow your social media networks”

  1. You are great at being useful. I struggle with what to do on that front. I guess I’ll just keep on keeping on and I’ll get it eventually.

  2. Like you’ve said being you is key. I’ve learned that for me being good at one or two rather than trying to be present everywhere (jack of all trades, master of none) is key. I’m really keen to build on a couple more but it really is a time thing. You definitely would have added something a bit extra to that panel and I am so glad you have shared your thoughts here 🙂

  3. I thought I was all over it but lately I seem to be talking to myself on my blog, and on Facebook – it’s always the same handful of people (who I’m so thankful for!) tuning in. Not a whole lot of growth happening in the ‘likers’ department, it’s so hard to get my work out there!

  4. I didn’t get t problogger, heard and saw lot about it. Just reaffirmed what I expected, just have to get my shite together to act on it. And yes, be more of me 🙂

  5. Great tips, Chantelle. I was at PBEvent and would have loved to hear you speak!

    I really enjoyed Amy Porterfield’s tips on Facebook. One thing I did when I got home was put the FB like box back in my blog sidebar – and I’ve noticed some new readers so that seems to have worked. Yay!

  6. I hired someone to Pin for me because I don’t understand it nor do I have time to do it yet I knew it was a great way to drive traffic to my blog. The girl I hired is doing a fantastic job and things are going well.

    On Twitter I give travel tips almost everyday and don’t spend lots of time promoting my blog, I want people to see I add value with my travel knowledge and not as someone who is constantly trying to promote myself.

    I have never heard of ProBlogger, can non-Australians go? IF so ProBlogger 2014 here I come! I’m American (I work for an airline so flights are not a problem. Yeah me!).

  7. It is so hard to keep on top of this stuff! Great tips. Twitter is something I’m terrible at… always in the too hard basket!

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