Growing organically on social media - my top tips
I’ve been a social media manager for 13 years now which means I’ve seen it ALL.
When I first started managing social media platforms, businesses weren’t even on Instagram yet and nobody knew what ‘influencers’ were. If you had 500 followers on Facebook, your posts would reach at least 450 people. But these days it feels like it’s impossible to reach your audience. Everybody’s attention spans are so tiny and the trends are constantly changing. More and more it’s feeling like social media is a pay to play game.
I wanted to write this blog post to share some tips to help you grow organically. Organic growth on social media is all about increasing your follower base and engagement without paid promotion (boosted posts, Facebook ads etc).
It leverages high-quality content and interaction to naturally attract and retain followers. This approach builds a dedicated community and ensures your growth aligns with the interests and needs of your target audience.
So firstly, I wanted to mention the reasons why organic reach and growth is much harder than it used to be.
1: Algorithm Changes: Social media platforms frequently tweak their algorithms, which can drastically affect organic reach. For example, platforms like Facebook and Instagram now prioritise content from friends and family over businesses or public pages. This means your content might not reach your target audience unless they're actively engaging with your posts.
2: Increasing competition: As more businesses and individuals use social media for marketing, the competition for users' attention has increased. This makes it more challenging to stand out and attract followers organically.
3: Evolving User Expectations: Users are becoming more discerning about the content they engage with on social media. They crave authentic, high-quality content that provides value. Meeting these evolving expectations requires a deep understanding of your audience and significant time investment in content creation and engagement. No mean feat!
Once you understand why organic growth doesn’t work like it used to, it can be a little easier to feel excited about creating content for your social channels.
Now, let’s dive into my tips.
Tip #1 - Leveraging content types
Videos: Videos continue to dominate engagement on both Instagram and LinkedIn. They capture attention more effectively than static posts. For Instagram, consider short, engaging clips that tell a story or showcase products in action. On LinkedIn, you can use more polished, professional videos that provide industry insights or company news. Ensure your videos are optimised for mobile viewing and include captions for accessibility.
Carousels: Carousel posts let you share multiple images or videos in one post. On Instagram, carousels can create mini-tutorials or before-and-after sequences. On LinkedIn, they can offer multiple perspectives on a business topic or detailed explanations of a process. Carousels drive higher interaction as users swipe through the content, increasing the time spent on your post.
Stories: Stories are a great way to engage your audience daily. Use Instagram Stories for behind-the-scenes content, daily updates, or time-sensitive offers. People also love when you share daily business insights and professional tips. The more valuable the content on Stories, the better! Stories can humanise your brand and make your content more relatable. We all crave that human connection and Stories are the perfect place to nurture your community.
One further point about video - I have grown several client accounts organically with very limited video content. For some people, video content just isn’t an option so I want to reassure you that organic growth is possible even without posting reels or being on TikTok.
Tip #2 - Engagement strategies
Daily interaction: Spend at least 5 minutes each day interacting with your followers’ content and content from people you follow. Like, comment, and share their posts to build a reciprocal relationship. This boosts your visibility and makes your followers feel valued.
Community building: Foster a sense of community by hosting regular interactive sessions like live videos, webinars, or group discussions. Engage your audience by asking for their opinions, answering their questions, and encouraging them to interact with each other (Instagram/Facebook stories is a great place to do this).
Being responsive: Responding promptly to comments and messages can significantly increase engagement. A timely response shows that you value your audience’s input and are actively managing your social media presence.
Tip #3 - Measuring success
Don’t sleep on this one! Monitor your engagement rate and follower growth to gauge the effectiveness of your organic growth strategies. Use the analytics tools provided by Meta/LinkedIn/Pinterest etc to track these metrics. Pay special attention to whether new followers are part of your target demographic. This ensures that your growth aligns with your business objectives and contributes to a higher conversion rate.
Keep an eye out for a monthly report template coming to the Verve Shop soon that will help you keep track of your analytics!
Tip #4 - Consistency & planning
Consistent posting is key to organic growth on social media because it helps maintain visibility and engages your audience regularly. Posting regularly signals to the algorithm that your page is active, which increases the chances of your content being shown in your followers' feeds.
Consistency in posting also helps in establishing a reliable online presence, which encourages audience engagement and fosters a sense of community. This can result in a more loyal follower base and higher engagement rates, both of which are crucial for organic growth.
Use a content calendar to plan your posts in advance. My content calendar template is perfect for this - purchase it here.
This blog post also shares some great tips for making your content planning easier. If you’re not already scheduling your posts, I highly recommend you do so! Set aside a few hours each week to create and schedule your content. This lets you focus more on engagement and less on logistics. I’m a big fan of Metricool - it’s easy to use and is a great price for all the features you get. I pay about $35 a month for it but you can also use the free version.
To wrap things up…
Effective organic growth on social media requires a thoughtful approach to content creation and a commitment to regular engagement with your audience. By implementing these strategies on your chosen social platforms, you can increase your visibility, engage more meaningfully with your audience, and build a strong, loyal community around your brand.
If you’re looking to refine your social media strategy or need assistance managing your platforms, don't hesitate to reach out. My services are designed to help you achieve your marketing goals with ease.
I would love to support you and your business in your social media journey!
