There is a lot of noise on social media and online. Think of how many ads, Instagram stories, and videos you scroll through on a daily basis.
Is that what is happening to your content? Posting without a strategy increases your chances of getting lost in the mix. You’ll just be another business with another ad, and potential customers will keep scrolling. It’s a waste of time and money for your whole team.
Businesses often make this mistake. They fear that targeting a smaller audience will limit their opportunities - and then they just get lost in the noise. Reaching and engaging with a stranger is a lot harder than connecting with a friend.
Make your content count. How can you reach potential clients and ensure that they are paying attention to your content?
It’s easier than you think. To build your following, move through the six degrees of separation by way of friends, followers, and other local connections. Start with local markets and the followers that you currently have. Implement a strategy that moves your content to your followers, their followers, their followers...you get the picture.
When we mention the Six Degrees of Separation, what actor comes to mind?
Most likely, it’s Kevin Bacon. In the late 90s, college students created a game that shows just how connected Kevin Bacon is in Hollywood. Every actor appeared to be connected to Kevin Bacon in under “six degrees.”
(Want a distraction from work? Try out the Oracle of Bacon yourself!)
This silly game speaks to a true phenomenon: the world is more connected than you might think. In 2011, a study revealed that every two users on Facebook are connected by an average of four degrees.
So Kevin Bacon is a well-connected actor and you probably know someone who knows someone who knows someone at Blended Sense. But what does that mean for your business?
You have the opportunity to reach a friend of a friend of a friend - aka, anyone on Facebook - without sending ads or sponsored posts into the noise of social media. When people see posts from friends and family, they are more likely to pay attention. When people see posts from friends and family promoting a particular brand, they are more likely to pay attention.
Your initial connections can help you cut through all of the noise on social media by vouching for you.
This is why it’s so important to zoom in on a target audience. Choosing a smaller neighborhood, industry, or even age range limits your competition and increases your chances of appearing first on search results or social media platforms. Speaking directly to one group of people (and speaking their language) increases your chances that they will share your content with their friends and followers.
When people hear about businesses through friends, followers, and businesses they trust, they are more likely to engage or make a purchase. Seven out of ten millennials say that content from family and friends influences their purchasing decisions. When potential customers see that you are engaging with their family and friends, they are more willing to engage and learn more about your business.
(Pro tip: “engagement” on social media includes likes, follows, and shares.)
You’ve built a following on your social media profiles. Now, you have the opportunity to use the six degrees of separation and reach a much larger group of potential followers and customers. Give your followers and your connections the opportunity to share your content with their followers and connections. With high-quality content from Blended Sense and the right tactics, you’ll be able to grow your circle and put your message in front of a larger group of local people.
Using a strategy based on the six degrees of separation doesn’t just appeal to human eyes looking at your content. Increased engagement shows potential customers and algorithms that people like your content and like to share your business’s message. Instagram, Facebook, and Google are more likely to believe that your content is valuable if it’s engaging. They’ll post your website and content before competitors who are not putting as much thought into their social media strategy.
We know the why behind focusing on expanding through the six degrees of separation, but what about the how?
Here’s an example of how one simple post can reach potential clients and encourage engagement - all for free!
You take the team out for a staff appreciation happy hour on Rainey Street. One of your team members snaps a photo of them posing with their delicious pizza and craft beer. Before you post the photo to your company’s Instagram story, you can:
All of these small additions to your post can make a big difference. The pizza truck may share the photo on their Instagram story - and everyone who follows the pizza truck will now see your business name and account. People who are browsing through hashtags, or Rainey Street as a location, could also see your company’s name. Your staff member may post the photo on their personal Instagram, sharing your company culture with all of their friends and followers.
These connections make a big difference in engagement and reach. Posts that tag other accounts receive 56% more engagement than posts that don’t. Posts that have a location listed receive 79% more engagement than posts that don’t.
Up to 79% more engagement without dropping a dime? Let’s do it.
Your social media manager should tag their location and tag relevant accounts when they schedule or publish their post. But don’t worry about the content creation - we have that covered.
