Why Quality is Better than Quantity on Social Media

Rhyme and Reason of Twitter Vol. 2
March 4, 2014
Episode 2: Love It Learn It
March 25, 2014

Why Quality is better than Quantity on Social Media”

By Dexter Patterson

@drpatterson2

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When I first jumped onto social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter the only thing I was worried about were the numbers. In my mind, the numbers would instantly produce results, but that is not true. I would add people to my networks constantly, but I had no idea if they even had a genuine interest in my brand. I just wanted to build my online resume, and I thought that authority came with having lots of Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

Over time, I started to realize that I rarely engaged with any of these new people on my networks. On a business level, this was very discouraging because the numbers did nothing for the bottom line. I also noticed that my personal online experience took a sudden turn for the worse. I had nothing in common with these new people I was adding to my networks. Their tweets were annoying and don’t get me started with the daily soap opera that started to take place on Facebook. I was so worried about numbers that I forgot to be what I would call, a “choosy social media marketer.” As a result, I was polluting the quality of my target audience, and I wasn’t having much fun online.

8 Tips on how to be a “choosy social media marketer”

1. First of all, you should never pay for Facebook likes or Twitter followers. No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to escape the work. It may make your ego feel good or look cool to other people, but remember those fake followers will never be of any real value to you.

2. Make sure that the people you let into your network make you or your brand better. You could easily add 1,000 random people to your Facebook account, but you will have much more success if you target just a 100. When I say target, I mean you have to do a little research on these people. Read their bio and see if you have anything in common. Check out their latest posts and see if they seem worthy of your time. Why is time so important? Time is money.

3. Let your unique perspective on life shine bright on your social networks. Remember authenticity will always attract more quality people to your brand. It will also start to attract people that share your perspective, and that is great for business.

4. Never be too good to learn from others. Pay attention to how they interact with their target audience. What’s working for them? What would you change? How could you do things better? Apply your creativity to existing methods of success and you’re going to see progress.

5. Reach out to the people that like your status or re-tweet your content. Pay attention to the people that are already showing your brand support and lean on them. Save their contact info and try adding them to your email list. Follow up with them once and awhile with a personal thank you or exclusive offer. Take advantage of their support but also show them that you appreciate it.

6. There is nothing wrong with showcasing your successes. If you have accomplished something good share that with people. If someone says something nice about you online share that story. In the end, we are all human beings behind these keyboards so never be afraid to make a human connection. Personal connections are a great way to increase the quality of your following.

7. Spend time in the same online communities as your target audience. Engage with people and pay attention to the discussions that are going on. Is there any opportunity for you to showcase your brand or showcase your value to someone? If so take advantage of those opportunities and you will start to increase the quality of your following.

8. Remember social media is alive so you must always remain active, and that doesn’t mean telling people what you ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. All successful brands post to their networks with a purpose.

DRP
DRP
Digital media problem solver dedicated to helping brands succeed online. Professionally, I have experience working as a content marketer, digital marketer, blogger, podcaster, and digital sales consultant. Currently, I'm the digital and social media specialist for the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association. I specialize in social media marketing, digital media, and digital advertising. Let's talk digital!

4 Comments

  1. GS says:

    Extremely helpful article for me as an artist building his brand. Thanks for the tips.

  2. drpmarketing says:

    I hope your enjoying the blog. I just wanted to remind everyone that your feedback is greatly appreciated and encouraged. If there is a certain topic you would like to know more about let me know.

    Peace
    -DRP

  3. DRP says:

    Thank you so much if you have any other questions about social media marketing I’d love to help out.