Now that you’ve got a basic understanding of metrics through Jody’s Deep Dive Week post from yesterday, let’s take a look at some ideas on how to move toward achieving and surpassing our goals.

When it comes to social media, value is primarily derived from the level of engagement and in this case the saying quality over quantity rings true. We are often approached by clients who have encountered a “social media plateau” where their listeners, no matter the channel, are no longer growing in numbers and no longer responding or liking content as often as they’d like. The natural reaction here is to begin posting, tweeting, and uploading more videos, but before jumping the gun we always recommend asking – what is it that our fans and followers want and need? Are we delivering enough value to keep them coming around, keep them entertained and keep them reacting to the content we put out there while benefiting our own business and bottom line?

To help guide our thinking, it’s important to better understand the social media audience. Research has shown that these are some of the most common reasons for consumers to connect with a brand:

• To let friends know what products they support
• To receive coupons and discount offers
• To get updates on upcoming sales
• To stay current on available and upcoming products
• To learn more about the company/organization

- eMarketer

Now that we’re better informed and know we have to deliver value, here are 10 actionable ideas and examples on how to leave the plateau in the dust and create content resulting in social media community growth. Some of these tips are exclusive to Facebook, while others can be applied to Twitter and other social channels. Here we go:

5 Types of Promotions

Promotions work wonders in growing audience reach and providing the necessary incentive to keep consumers coming back, interacting with your channels and sharing with their friends.

The Coupon “Fan Gate”

The “fan gate” describes a Facebook landing tab app that’s displayed to everyone that hasn’t Liked the page when they visit for the first time. Instead of landing on the Wall this “welcome” area serves as a splash page and call to action, inviting visitors to go ahead and Like the brand or organization. Often, the call to action is backed by an offer such as a coupon code or other exclusive content that is only available after the consumer Likes the page, at which point the coupon code is revealed. Only fans are able to access the coupon code, and if the coupon is unique to Facebook, you may even be able to measure redemptions and judge the success of the promotion.

Sweepstakes

It’s no secret that consumers love Sweepstakes. Consider your audience, develop a theme with your business goals in mind then select appropriate prizes. With several of these promotions under our belt, here are just a few quick tips to make the most of your sweepstakes: allow for daily entry, ask consumers to Like you on Facebook or Tweet a certain post mentioning your brand as part of their entry and offer multiple prizes throughout the duration. When you ask for a lot, you need to remember to give back a lot. A good live example of this type of promotion is our own client, Good Neighbor Pharmacy’s new Facebook page and sweepstakes.

Contests

Contests can be approached similar to a Sweepstakes in the planning phase, and then things can get really fun. Considering your goals, planning might include: entry methods such as a photo or a short personal story, frequency of entry, incentive to share such asking consumers to invite friends to vote to decide the top entry, contest duration and of course prizing. Creating an air of friendly competition has been known to yield considerable results. For an example, check out the Pottery Barn Kids Photo Contest on Facebook.

Giveaways

Just give it up. Poll your audience about their favorite model in a certain product line and then select one of them to win one of the products that ends up at the top. You get great feedback on consumer preferences and they get a fun reason to stick around.

Exclusive Access

Continue to reward your audience by developing and announcing promotions, new product launches, and even sampling opportunities that they can only hear about on your social channels. One of our favorite stories from this year is Heinz Ketchup’s limited edition product launch on Facebook.

Quick hint: “Share with a friend” social sharing buttons (post to Facebook, and post to Twitter) should always be included as part of the above promotions to extend the reach of your efforts exponentially.

5 Ideas for Engaging Posts

♫ Let’s give them something to talk about. ♫

Poll Questions

Just as we asked about a product above, don’t forget to also make it about the audience as much as possible. It can be as simple as asking them what their favorite weekend activity is. The new Facebook “Question” post option is a great way to get excellent feedback and start conversations.

Photos & Videos

Photos and videos are great conversation starters as well, especially if framed by a fun call to action like suggesting a funny caption or naming a company mascot. Show the audience they matter by continually acknowledging and valuing their opinion and feedback.

Themes

A monthly, weekly or even daily theme can help frame content, keep you organized and remind you when certain posts should be published. We’ve seen ideas such as “Freebie Fridays,” “Tuesday Triumph,” and “Flash Sale Week” implemented really well, giving audiences something to look forward to on an ongoing basis.

Feature a Community Member

Select a community member worth highlighting and talk them up, thank them for being involved, engaged and staying in touch with your brand. Make it so that becoming “_____ of the Week” is attainable and valuable where the member receives special perks. We’ve even seen brand Facebook pages including certain fans in their own page profile pictures.

Responses

Positive or neagtive, always respond to comments and replies. Let your audience know you’re listening. After all, that’s rule #1 when it comes to social media. You want to make a good first impression to any new visitors, and no one wants to join or follow a community where the people running the show are unresponsive and unapproachable.

Thank you for reading our thoughts on engagement and stay tuned for more tomorrow as we explore what the future holds for Social Media.