Bluestone Trading – Trading Tip of the Week – Building an Audience on Social Media
Once you begin the journey of “Going Digital” by creating social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram, you may feel like your progress has halted. You’ve taken immediate action, and feel like you are making progress! Followers have been invited, you have a strong profile and cover image, and your about section is even filled out. You begin to ask yourself, what’s next?
Good news: you can continue to take action! The next step is to use tactics and quality content to continue building an audience. First, we will cover Facebook tactics for building an audience. You can access these while making posts, by using the “Write a post” tool at the top of your newsfeed or on your account page.
Tactics: Facebook Posting Tools
The tools you have the ability to use when making a post include adding a COVID-19 update, photos or videos, a message button, checking in at a location, adding feeling, creating a watch party, adding a non-profit button, and creating a gift card purchase button. Today, we will cover photos/videos and “checking in”.
Adding Photos
Adding photos to each post is an important part of creating eye-catching content. Posts on Facebook with photos receive 39% more engagement, according to Buffer, a social media management company.
If a follower likes, comments, or shares your post, their engagement will be included on their friends’ news feed, as a result increasing your exposure. Take high-quality photos using a mobile phone or camera, and include them in posts using the photo/video button.
Checking-In
Checking-in tags a location to your post. You can select the location by clicking the check-in button, and typing the location you would like to tag. This is a great tool for building your local audience or building an audience in a location you will be visiting. Facebook users who search for a location will view your tagged posts as a result. It is also important to use similar tactics on Instagram while posting.
Tactics: Instagram tools
While posting on Instagram, there are three tools that you can use. You can tag other accounts, tag your location, and include hashtags in your post. We don’t recommend tagging other stores unless making a collaboration post or you offer very different goods and services.
After writing a caption to include with your post, select the add location option, and type in your store name or city. Adding a location that users follow like Cleveland will allow your post to land on their news feed. In the post below, Bluestone Trading added the location Miami, Florida to promote the Original Miami Beach Antique Show.
Tag People
Although we typically do not encourage you to tag other accounts in your posts; it can be beneficial to tag jewelry designers or special accounts of interest such as trade shows or organizations. When you include these tags on your photo, it will show up on their account in the “Photos of You” section, and their followers can view it and choose to follow your account. When you tag a person or organization, they receive a notification and are directed to your post. This makes them more likely to engage with your post and possibly even share it to their stories or social media.
In the post below, Bluestone Trading members were featured on the cover of the Texas Association of Pawnbroker’s Magazine, The Texas Pawnbroker. We posted a picture of the magazine, and tagged the association on social media, using their short username in the caption.
Hashtags
Hashtags are terms or phrases preceded by the pound sign (#), these are another way that Instagram and other social media platforms segment posts. For example, when posting a ring, we are sure to include the hashtag #ring. Up to 30 hashtags are allowed per post. We recommend a mixture of hashtags relevant to the picture, your location, and the industry in general. A Bluestone Trading post is bound to include the hashtags #diamond, #gemstones, #jewelry, and #thisiscleveland. Adding hashtags allows your post to be included in the newsfeed of those who follow the hashtag.
Using these tools when posting is sure to increase engagement with your posts and your audience on these platforms. However, one of the most successful tactics in building your followers on social media is following others!
Follow Others
Use the search bar to search for customers you know, professionals in the industry, and local businesses. Engage with their content to build relationships online. But remember, comments and posts are public. Act professionally, and have fun with it!
For more ideas and tips on how to grow your business call or text us at 440-442-7280, or call toll free 888 800-BLUE. To be the first to know about our Trading Tip of the Week and Bluestone’s latest news, subscribe to our newsletter.
