It’s well established by now; social media is a powerful tool to help marketers engage with their audience. With roughly seven in ten Americans holding at least one social media account, companies of all sizes are doing everything they can to get noticed. But being seen on social media doesn’t mean you have to douse yourself with ice water or learn the latest dance craze. Here are seven tips and tricks to get you noticed on social media.

1) Know where your audience is and be there. 

We know we say this a lot, but you have to know where your audience spends their social media time. If you’re not selling to men and women between the ages of 16-24, you don’t need to be on TikTok. Today, social media use is about quality, not quantity. Choose two or three of the best social media platforms for your brand, and post timely, relevant, and engaging content. To help determine where your audience is, here’s a “Social Media Fact Sheet” from the Pew Research Center.

2) Determine your social media goals

What are you hoping to gain by using social media? Do you want to sell a product? Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest offer links to your store. Are you looking to generate leads? LinkedIn is a great place to start. If you’re trying to increase brand awareness, Facebook is likely where to begin. 

3) Know your industry and your competitors.

Not every channel works well for your industry. Visually driven industries like dining and fashion are usually better suited for Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest, because those platforms rely on visuals more than text. Software and tech organizations frequently see more success on a platform like Twitter because the content is tightly curated and pulls users to websites.

It’s also helpful to know which social channels your competitors are using. Monitoring your competition’s social feeds can help you understand the typical content in your space and which channels are delivering the most engagement. 

4) Be human.

Your audience wants to know your business isn’t a faceless corporation, and they want to engage on a more personal level. It’s tempting to adopt a “business voice” and only show a very sanitized version of your organization, but that’s not real. Brands today engage with customers like friends. 

Getting personal about who you are (by showing the men and women who make your business unique) can help your audience form a personal connection with you.  

5) Do the research, use the hashtags.

Simply put, a hashtag is a label used on social media sites that makes it easier to find information with a theme or specific content. Hashtags encourage social media users to explore content that catches their eye. You can help your audience find you by using hashtags for your industry, business, town, or whatever applies to your posts. (HINT: If a trending hashtag isn’t relevant to you, don’t use it. Nothing will turn a social media use off faster than #HashtagHijacking.)

6) Stay active, my friends.

Inactive social media feeds are bad for business, full stop. If you’re on social media (and you should be), you need to “show up” every day with fresh, timely content. Remember, you don’t have to post a dissertation every day! You can engage with your audience by asking questions (i.e., “which of these pool floats will you take on vacation?” “Who needs stationery?” etc.) just make sure it’s relevant to your business.

7) Don’t be afraid to pay.

You can do a lot organically, but sometimes the best way to get eyes on your brand is to create paid ads. Both social ads and influencer marketing have impressive ROI. A paid strategy could be just what you need to tap into a new or unexplored audience between laser-targeting and tapping into hyper-engaged influencer audiences.