In a world that is increasingly digital, social media has become one of the most effective ways to build and increase your brand. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn, having a colorful and prolific social media page could very well be the key to your business’ success.

But an impressive social media presence doesn’t just happen overnight; it takes hard work, strategy, and talent for you to build a loyal following. Here are a few ways to expand your social media following base and keep them engaged in your brand. 

1. Tell Stories

More than anything, humans connect with stories. They are grabbed and drawn in when they recognize thoughts, feelings, and emotions in others, and this is true in the realm of social media (just think of the power of Humans of New York). When building your brand’s social media, don’t just focus on factual descriptions of your products and services (though, of course, fact-based content will be necessary here and there); for best results, you should include stories about real peoples’ experiences, giving your brand authenticity, excitement, and life. 

2. Publish High-Quality Photos

You’ve been on Instagram; you know that some of the most well-edited, colorful, attention-grabbing photos get the most visibility and likes. So when building your social media brand, it’s important to focus on publishing top-notch quality, especially when it comes to your photos. For example, if you’re a food-based brand, you should focus on making the photos of your food look appetizing and aesthetically pleasing. Or, if you’re an essential oils brand, like Young Living Essential Oils, you want your high-quality photos to create a sense of calm and relaxation so that you get a sense of what the brand is all about. 

3. Utilize Video

Like photos, videos stand out on a brand’s social media page and draw the viewer in; it’s hard to scroll past an engaging looking video on your social media page and not press play. Creating video content that will appeal to and energize your followers will help keep your base interested and can help make your product or service look like the best in the world. 

In addition to creating a reel, you can also use live video to engage your followers. Live video has become increasingly popular — especially during the course of the pandemic — and allows you to capture video in real-time; live video can allow you to show off industry-related events or your company culture, and it can answer immediate questions your followers might have about your company. 

4. Conduct Surveys and Polls

Photos and videos are excellent, but creating content that your follower can actually engage in is extremely effective in keeping your followers paying attention to your brand. Conducting surveys and polls is a way to do this. Ask questions about what your followers think about certain political issues, fire off trivia questions, or figure out what movies or television shows they like and dislike. Not only will your brand seem cool and approachable, but your surveys and polls can double as market research; by finding out the preferences of your followers, you can tailor your content to appeal to those preferences directly. 

5. Don’t Be Too Serious

No one likes a company that never seems to have any fun. While you want to maintain a professional voice overall, you also want to show off your brand’s personality and keep it light. Using trending hashtags, emojis, GIFS, and popular lingo can help you cultivate an easy-going, assured, relatable brand image, and will make your business more appealing to your followers. Your social media pages should make your followers want to buy your products and take you out for coffee.

Social media is a powerful tool for building your brand, but merely having a social media page isn’t enough — you have to know how to use it. Follow these tips and create an online presence that is professional, appealing, exciting, relatable, and, most importantly, human.