Social Media is a great way for small businesses to connect with their audience and build a community around their brand. If you’re not already using social media in one way or another, you’re most likely missing out on huge opportunities. Out of 8 billion people in the world, 4.9 billion of them are using social media as of January 2023. That means one in three people worldwide are on social media platforms. And it’s free! What better tool to use to connect with your clients? But with so much noise on these platforms, sometimes it’s tough to get your content noticed. That’s where contests, polls, and Q&A sessions come in.

Contests are a fun and interactive way to get your followers involved in your brand. They can help you generate buzz around your products or services and increase brand awareness. According to research done by Kontest, 34% of new fans are acquired through contests, and a third of entrants want to receive more information from brands. That’s right, contests aren’t just a way to get people to engage with your content, they’re a built-in way to get people to see more of your content! If you can get a social media user to enter into your contest by signing up for your email list, you have a potential client who just signed up to keep receiving information from you even if they stop engaging online. Just make sure you create clear rules and guidelines and follow any legal restrictions that may apply to you.

Polls are another strategic way to engage with your audience on social media. People love giving their opinion, and if they can do it with the press of one button (rather than furiously typing about why cake is better than pie) they’re even more likely to participate! You can use these polls in more effective ways than a coffee vs. tea debate, though. That being said,  we do love a good debate over whether bean juice is better than leaf juice! You, as a small business owner, can use polls to ask your audience about their favorite products, opinions on industry trends, or even to get feedback on new product ideas. Learning more about your followers means you can alter your strategy to cater your posts more to them! Plus, the added engagement appeases the algorithm and makes any social media site more likely to show your content to them. It’s a win-win!

Q&A sessions can be a powerful tool. Ideally, your followers would be asking the questions (rather than you making them up yourself, like an FAQ) so this isn’t necessarily a tool to generate followers. It’s more of a tool to increase engagement with your already established followers, therefore showing your chosen social media outlet that your content is worth showing to people. Q&A sessions are also an excellent way to establish yourself as an expert in your chosen field! By hosting these on Facebook Live or through Instagram stories, you can show your followers that you’re committed to providing them with personalized advice and feedback.

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Most importantly:

Keep your content engaging and on-brand when hosting these types of events. Keep your ideal client in mind and make sure any contests, polls, or Q&A sessions are geared toward them. Think about not just content that relates to your product or service, but also content that appeals to your ideal customer in other parts of their lives. You should also respond promptly to any comments or questions from your audience to show them that you value their input.

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So if you’re a small business owner looking to improve your social media marketing game, consider incorporating these strategies into your plan. By creating fun and interactive content, you can generate buzz around your products or services and establish yourself as an expert in your industry. These are incredibly powerful tools that we all frequently forget are options. Use them! And if you need help beyond these strategies, whether that’s other avenues in the World Wide Web or creating stickers to hand out to your clients, Flourish is here to help. Check out some of our other blogs about social media down below or reach out to book a consultation. We’ve got you covered!

Customer Service & Social Media: A Match Made in Heaven

Posting Memes Increases Engagement

Why Video Content is Important for Your Social Media