All the Small Things: Little Things That Can Make a BIG Difference on Social Media

I recently helped a nonprofit client with a social media audit & analysis. He came to me asking why his engagement was so low (spoiler alert: it's low for just about everyone right now -- you can thank algorithm changes and the rise of social advertising for that).

"What am I doing wrong?" he asked.

After looking at his page data, I realized he wasn't doing anything "wrong" per se, but there definitely were some important *minor* tweaks he should make in order to see more successful posts week over week.

For example:

1. Broadcasting vs. Engaging

If your posts are being published, and then that's it, you're going to run into an engagement problem. Conversations, replies and mentions can go far in boosting engagement and interaction on social.

2. Posting the Same Content to Each Channel

This is a 101-level requirement for social. The same exact post does not work the same way on each channel. You have to vary images, copy, multimedia assets, hashtags, etc. per channel in order for maximum organic impact.

3. Relying too much on Hashtags

All the hashtags in the world can't help you if your content isn't up to snuff. Don't rely too much on them to carry your Instagram or Twitter strategy. Use them wisely to insert yourself into the appropriate conversations already taking place.

4. Purchasing Followers

Disclosure: I've tested purchasing followers on my own accounts to prove a very important point. Vanity metrics can easily be faked, and they don't equate AT ALL with engagement or effectiveness of social media. Also, the same people who gave you those fake follower bots can easily revoke them at any time. So can Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Your money is better spent on targeted ads -- but -- you have to know who your audience is in order to make the promoted content or ads effective.

Such an important reminder that when it comes to social, it's the little things that can make a HUGE difference!