From Followers to Customers (Part 1)

If you have an online presence, the chances are, you have followers. These are people who check in with your website, social media platform, or other digital presence to see updates. Social media makes connecting to these individuals quicker and easier than ever. Every follower you have is what is also known as a warm lead – a possible customer that has already shown an interest in your company or product!

What do Followers Affect?

Having followers isn’t just about having warm leads though, it also helps you get more leads. Part of that seems obvious – of course people bring in more people – but it is bigger than that! Most social media platforms have so much content flooding through their sites that they have to filter it out and show you only a portion of it. The way they decide what you see differs from site to site, but usually compares and combines your activity on that site plus the reputation or status of the content ready to be shown.

To break it down, if you interact with a lot of content mentioning dog rescues, you will be shown more dog rescue content if the source of the content is popular enough. In other words if I start a brand new account for dog rescues tomorrow, you probably wont see my posts right off the bat without a lot of keyword and other work on my part. It doesn’t mean that you will never see my content, just that other more popular dog rescue accounts will probably be shown first.

Its all a popularity contest. The more interaction from individuals I get on my page, the easier my page content is seen because the platforms see higher interaction as better quality content, so they put it first in the feed. This is why click-bait and controversial posts are everywhere! Its all interaction.

Okay. Great, but how do I GET followers?

Well, I hate to tell you, but its going to take time. Once you hit that stride, you will grow like crazy, but until then? Nose to the grindstone. You cant get and keep followers without content first. Make good content and put it out there consistently. This is not my forte, so I use schedulers and write several items at a time to make it a little easier. If you want followers, you have to make content creation a priority in your business. Can’t get time to create? Share others’ content to and from your page (WITH CREDIT AND PERMISSION). As both an example of sharing others’ content, and a great way to find resources on what to post when/where/how, check out our new Resources We Love page! Find what you like to make and stick with it. Use the 80/20 rule and only post about sales 20% of the time – no one likes constant ads! Test out different times and platforms. Just. Make. Content.

Now you have some content, more planned and you are ready

for followers. Are you sharing your business content to your own page for your friends and family to view? Do you have friends that also have businesses that you can share each others’ content? Like any business, it starts with bugging your friends and family – but don’t batter them with sales requests – tell them to smash that like button. Ask them to comment, strike up a convo, share to their page if they are willing to! Make sure to add the tags if that platform uses them to get others attention too!

Okay. We’ve hit the organic stuff. Now you want the quick fixes (I know, I know, that’s what you wanted in the first place). You want more followers quickly?  Post something hilarious. Then add it to contests and sweepstakes that only count interaction and following as qualifying entries. Pay for targeted ads, and lastly….Post controversy. Just be careful. Don’t post something controversial for effect and nothing else. Keep in your target audience’s sight, or your controversy will backfire.

None of this guarantees followers, but it will all get you closer to that goal.

 

Turning Followers Into Customers

Well, not quite. Not yet. I almost had you though didn’t I? Come on though, even the title said there would be another part. This section should be called Turning Followers into Site Visitors

Unfortunately, there is no magic wand to turn your social media followers into customers. However, there are a few ways that can help make the transition from follower to site visitor to filled cart to paid transaction. The first and sometimes the most difficult step is getting your followers to get from their social media platform to your website. So, here’s tips on how to get them to follow that link.

1. Keep them engaged outside of sales so they feel like they have a stake in the company…also algorithms!
   
   1. Ask for input on a new product options. Give them sneak peaks of production. Ask them for testimonials and opinions. Remember, the more they interact with you, the more they see you, and the higher chance they will have of seeing and clicking on your links.
2. NEVER POST SALES WITHOUT A LINK
   1. Any time you post sales without an image, you are asking for your post to be ignored. Every time you post sales without a link, you are forcing the customer to walk themselves to your site, then the product, then the cart. Add that link to view the product right in the post. Then add another in the description that says “add to cart now” and put that link there. One link, 2 less steps for their cart to be filled.
3. PICTURES. ENGAGING AND EYE CATCHING PICTURES.
   1. Make them stop. make them stare. make them want. then they click. I know that’s a lot, but hey…pictures are worth 1000 words….if we could get 1000 clicks…Seriously though. Pictures are super important. When was the last time you saw an ad without one? Okay, now the last time you scrolled through Facebook today, how many ads you not realize were ads because the picture caught your eye first? Pictures inside of articles are meant to flow with the text, not distract from it. Pictures in ads are supposed to distract. Remember to use pictures that you have permission for, though! Here’s a great list of great media sites.
4. Videos
   1. If you can make them, make them! Engaging short videos that explain the product or service and make the customer laugh, or stir them to action. Sometimes that video can make the difference in being remembered!
5. Deals. Deals are amazing. We know this, but they can be complex..
   
   1. Deals are always great. But just because it is a deal doesn’t mean it will do amazingly. Check out the different kinds of deals you want to offer and see which ones work the best. Is it free shipping? Buy one get one? Percentages off? You might find that though you were ready to offer buy one get one, free shipping is more valuable and more often used – so keep with it!!
6. Make everything clickable!
   1. Is the description a link? it should be. is the picture a link? it should be. Did you reply to comments with
7. Look at other ads
   1. watch yourself for a few days. what ads did you stop and look at? what articles did you click on to read? which ones did you skip? Start making a quick list of ads and articles to emulate!

Then what? Then we hit your site together in the next post and go over a few dos, dont’s, and other tips of how to turn that site visitor into a paid customer.

Until then, click carefully!