Some of you will know I’m an avid networker and it got me thinking about how you’re essentially using the same “tactics” as you would use to engage with people on social media in a face to face environment.

So, this prompted me to write this blog post with 5 ideas on how to apply your networking skills to your social media activity to make it more effective. Here goes…

1. Place

When you’re looking at which networking events to attend, one of the deciding factors will be whether your ideal customer (or people who can refer you to them) are likely to attend. This also applies to social media. Have you thought about which platforms your target audience is more likely to use? You need to be there (not necessarily everywhere!).

2. Image

When you’re meeting people face to face how long does it take you to make a first impression? They say it takes 7 seconds for a social media profile; and in those 7 seconds, you need to make sure you’ve conveyed the right brand image, shown credibility, got some social proof, show you’re consistent, have examples of your work – you get the picture. It’s not a long time right?!

3. Engage

Well, this is pretty self-explanatory in a face to face environment, but can be a bit more tricky to get on social media. Engagement is also a massive factor when it comes to increasing your reach so it’s worth spending some time on this. When creating your content think of ideas that will spark conversation rather than give you just a “yes or no” answer.

It’s also a good idea to join groups (Facebook is good at the moment), mention other people/accounts, engage with relevant hashtags (on Instagram and LinkedIn), go live/post videos/IGTV and use various stickers in stories (Instagram & Facebook) to encourage engagement. The more activity you get in the first hour, the better your post reach will be as you will be signalling to the algorithm that this is a post worth being seen by more people.

4. Listen

When at a physical networking event, I rarely do all of the talking. I will tend to ask a question and then just listen with the intention of answering “how can I help them?” This information will help you when thinking of ideas for your social media posts or enable you to tag other accounts who may be able to help, which in turn will put your name in front of their audience.

5. Follow Up

Don’t forget to follow up those business cards you’ve collected by connecting with them online so you can carry on the conversation as you would if you met them again at another event. Even better if you’re connecting on LinkedIn as you will be growing your network at the same time so it’s a win-win for both.

I hope these tips help you with your social media marketing. Please let me know if you’ve found this useful and feel free to share with your network if you think they would find it helpful.

Anita