Social media is either the greatest invention or the biggest time suck, depending on your perspective. If you’re seeing results from your posts, such as lots of Likes, Shares, or Comments, then you’ll be in the “I Love Social Media” camp. Others who struggle because they don’t know what to say usually find solace scrolling through their feeds aimlessly, wasting time.
Planning and research is important when it comes to using social media effectively for marketing your side gig business. Here are some other ideas for discovering what your fans want:
1. Ask them. Plain and simple; there’s no sense in guessing what they want, so ask them directly. Use SurveyMonkey to create a formal survey and share the link via social media and to your email list. Or simply ask them directly in a post. Using a survey allows more anonymity, so that may be a better option if you normally get little to no responses on your other social media posts.
2. Checkout your social media insights. What posts have gotten the most Likes, Shares, and Comments? Use that subject matter to plan out more posts. Don’t repost the same exact thing; change it up or delve into a different perspective of the same subject. Take that subject matter and create an infographic; or create a graphic with just a quote; or write a brand new blog post and create a graphic to promote that post.
3. Pay attention to other conversations in groups or on competitors’ posts. You’ll most likely see a host of questions (or complaints) regarding customer service. Take these concerns and address them in new social media posts or blog posts; or simply refine your own customer service processes using this info. Even if they aren’t complaining about something, pay attention to what they say they need or can’t find in the market. Take that idea, develop it, and turn it into a new service, product, or series of posts offering detailed information your market needs.
Most importantly, be present on social media every day and really take notice of what’s happening in conversations. Automating social media can be a great time saver but social media is supposed to be SOCIAL so no amount of automation can make up for a lack of interaction from you. People don’t want to follow a robot; they want a real person, that person who knows so much and can help them find the solutions to their problems.
Also, experiment a little by mixing up the topics of your posts: Try video or infographics instead of text, or inserting more of your personal life. Tracking these changes will yield a ton of information and you’ll know fairly quickly if you’ve hit the mark or if that method/topic should be left alone. Sharing a bit about your personal life also helps break down that barrier between you, the expert, and your followers. It makes you more accessible and more real instead of just the face and name of a business.
Are You Ready to Create Your Side Hustle Income in a Weekend?
If you’re ready to switch your social media from casual to business-oriented, check out my newest planner. In just one weekend you’ll know if your side hustle is viable or will lead you to burn out. You’ll explore the inner thoughts of your Dream Client as well as tackle how to market your side gig. With some deep thought and a little quiet time, you’ll discover if you should jump in full force to a brand new business or keep it as a side gig. Download our guide here.