Why “now,” though?

For starters, YouTube is the second most-visited site on the web, and when we’re spending up to six hours per day consuming video, the writing is on the wall. If you want to stand out on YouTube, you need to take advantage of as many promotional tactics as possible.

We’ll go into detail on each of these tactics for how to grow your YouTube channel and maximize your viewership. Whether you’re just getting started or want to see your numbers tick further upward, these tips are all fair game.

• What counts as a view on YouTube?
• Why are views important on YouTube?
• How to get more views on YouTube: 17 tips and tricks
• 4 resources for growing your YouTube channel
• How do you promote your YouTube channel?

What counts as a view on YouTube?

Views refer to the total number of times your video or channel has been watched. Each time a viewer plays a video and watches it for at least 30 seconds, YouTube counts it as a view. If someone watches your video several times, each time is counted as a new view. This applies across all devices whether a person watches via smartphone or desktop. This also applies to embeds and videos shared on social media like Facebook.

When someone visits your channel page, you receive a view. If you use YouTube Analytics, you can go to the Overview tab to see how many views your YouTube channel received over the last 28 days.

Why are views important on YouTube?

Views are important because they influence the YouTube algorithm. If you get more views, the algorithm will push your video out to more people. Views are also part of how you can make money on YouTube, which we all want to see a return on investment and increased revenue.

Views are also vital on YouTube because it’s a way to boost awareness and build brand affinity. It may take some time to achieve your target viewership, but you’ll need to connect with top-of-funnel prospects to help reach your goals in the long run.

How to get more views on YouTube: 17 tips and tricks

1. Write engaging, must-see titles

YouTube marketing is all about presentation.

Titles are make-or-break when it comes to your video’s performance. Ask yourself: are you presenting your content as “must-see” or “meh?”

The key to crafting killer titles is grabbing your audience’s attention without resorting to clickbait headlines. People crave content that’s entertaining, and they likewise want to know what your video is about from the word “go.”

For example, you can take a page out of the playbooks of YouTube giants like BuzzFeed and WhatCulture. Such videos often rely on listicles, question-based titles or hyperbole (“insane,” “…of all time”) to rack up the views.

Athlean X’s fitness-based videos are another good example. The channel’s content manages to sneak in relevant keywords in its titles while also coming across as conversational.

“Best-of” lists and “how-to” titles are always a safe bet, too. Food channel Tasty uses click-worthy titles like this:

The takeaway here is that you should definitely spend time mulling over engaging titles rather than sticking with the first idea that pops into your head.

In terms of specifics, many have observed that the optimal YouTube video title length should be around 70 characters. Meanwhile, tools such as CoSchedule’s headline analyzer recommends 55 characters for an engaging headline. CoSchedule’s tool isn’t specifically meant for video titles but is awesome for brainstorming YouTube-friendly titles to help promote your YouTube channel.

Publish on YouTube with Sprout Social

The opportunities are virtually endless on YouTube, and you can now publish to YouTube directly from Sprout.

Host long-form video on your channel, extend reach through YouTube’s extensive search capabilities, and track how your performance stacks up to other social networks.

Start a free trial to give our YouTube publishing features a try.

2. Optimize your videos for visibility

Here’s some food for thought: YouTube videos show up in 70% of the top 100 Google search results.

Heck, see for yourself. Any given product or “how-to” query on Google will return something from YouTube.

In fact, YouTube results sometimes even pop up before traditional blog posts or websites. Listen: YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world in and of itself. Just like people search for products and need problems solved via Google, the same rings true on YouTube.

Think of your YouTube videos like any other piece of content that needs to be optimized in terms of keywords, tags and so on.

In order to increase your chances of showing up, you’ll want to follow some of the best practices for YouTube SEO:

• Titles and description: Include target keywords in your titles and descriptions. You can use a tool like Keywordtool.io to help you find keyword ideas.
• Mention keywords in your video: According to Brian Dean of Backlinko, saying your target keywords in your video can help YouTube better understand what your video is about.
• Engagement: YouTube uses engagement (likes, comments, views) to help determine where videos rank in its search results.
• Categories: Use categories to help YouTube get a better understanding of who to show your videos to.
• Tags: In addition to categories, you can also add tags to your videos to give YouTube more context about your content. You can use quite a few tags, so add as many as you can think of.

Just like with SEO for your website, don’t keyword stuff. Use keywords when it makes sense, not just for the sake of having them.

3. Figure out what your audience wants

With any type of content you produce, you want to make sure it’s aligned with what your audience wants. Whether you’re writing a blog post or creating a video, start by getting to know your audience and what type of content they want to see from you.

If you’re just starting to promote your YouTube channel, take a look at your competitors or other video creators in your industry. Look at which of their videos get the most views and engagement. This will give you an idea of what topics your audience wants to learn about and what style of videos they prefer.

Another solution is to look at your YouTube Analytics if you’ve already uploaded videos. YouTube gives you detailed information on audience demographics, location, engagement and other helpful stats. You can also take your strategy a step further with YouTube reporting in Sprout Social and see how your content stacks up to other social videos you’ve produced.

Want to better understand your YouTube metrics? Download our video metrics cheat sheet to learn the most important metrics to track and get ideas for video content tailored to your marketing goals.

4. Engage with the YouTube community

Although you might not think of YouTube as a social network per se, the platform does represent a thriving community where users are engaging via content, profiles, “likes” and comments.

Sounds pretty “social” if you ask us.

As noted earlier, any sort of interaction with your viewers is seen as a positive signal to YouTube. If nothing else, engaging with your subscribers can help you foster a stronger connection with your audience. “Liking” comments only takes a few seconds, as does pinning a top comment as a sort of personal note to your subscribers.

For example, music channel Artists Of Morality regularly likes and responds to comments on its recent uploads. The channel’s creator regularly engages with subscribers to show appreciation and answer questions, too. She even posts a call to action or challenges in her pinned comments like in the one below:

Just as you’d respond to comments and engage with your followers on any other social network, YouTube is no different.

5. Customize your thumbnails

One of the simplest yet effective tactics to promote your YouTube channel is creating custom thumbnails. Think of your title and thumbnail as a sort of one-two punch to grab a viewer’s attention.

By default, YouTube snags a screenshot from any given video and uses it for the thumbnail. Unfortunately, sometimes the image it grabs will be a blurry shot of you adjusting the camera or a transition.

Not a good look, right?

Creating thumbnails yourself not only makes your videos look more appealing at a glance but also signals a certain sense of professionalism.

Thumbnails don’t have to be rocket science, either. You can even create a template with a particular font and style to make it more consistent and on-brand. This is made especially easy with the help of image creation tools such as Canva. Here’s a good example from Binging with Babish:

If you’re looking for simple social media templates to get started with Creator Studio, check out our free YouTube banners that you can download today!

6. Cross-promote your own videos on YouTube

Chances are you’re covering similar topics on YouTube that overlap with each other. To squeeze more out of your older content, make a point to cross-promote your videos when it makes sense.

For example, you can drop links in the description of a video and encourage viewers to check them out as a sort of call-to-action. Although some might be disappointed by the removal of YouTube’s annotation system, linking in your description encourages viewers to watch your videos all the way through without clicking away.

7. Target Google search results

As noted, YouTube is totally killing it when it comes to SEO.

And while you shouldn’t totally create content for search engines versus people, you should promote your YouTube channel with SEO in mind.

Specifically, product reviews, how-to’s and long-form (10+ minutes) videos covering keyword-specific topics tend to rank well in search engine results pages (SERPs). If you’re strapped for content ideas or want to capitalize on a trending buzzword in your industry, consider how you can do so through your YouTube channel marketing.

8. Run a contest or giveaway

If there’s one thing YouTube users love, it’s a giveaway. Host a YouTube contest or giveaway to encourage people to subscribe to your channel and engage.

To keep your contests simple, have people like your video, leave a comment and subscribe to your channel to enter.

Follow some of our best practices for running any social media contest:

• Make sure you’re following YouTube’s policies.
• Give away a gift that’s related to your brand: you want to attract more than just freebie-seekers.
• Get creative by incorporating user-generated content and other non-traditional entry requirements.

Be careful with hosting frequent YouTube contests, though. You want to make sure you’re getting results from your efforts: otherwise, you’ll end up wasting time, money and resources. After doing one contest, wait a while and look at your subscriber drop-off rate and engagement numbers. If you aren’t bringing in engaged subscribers, you could just be attracting people who want free prizes.

9. Encourage viewers to follow your series

A smart way to promote your YouTube channel is by creating a specific video series that covers a recurring theme or topic. For example, Sprout Social’s YouTube channel has a variety of different series that make up our YouTube presence, like our “Always On” videos.

Series are a win-win for creators and viewers alike. For creators, you hold yourself accountable for creating fresh YouTube content and don’t have to rack your brain for ideas. For your audience, they have something to look forward to and likewise a reason to keep returning to your channel.

10. Embed your YouTube videos

Some of the best places to promote your YouTube channel are beyond YouTube itself.

Case in point, video content is proven to improve conversion rates and lower bounce rate on-site. If you want visitors to stick around a product page or blog post longer, embed a video (like we did below).

Remember: any opportunity you have to funnel your on site (or social!) traffic to YouTube is a plus.

11. Create playlists to organize your YouTube content

The more videos you create, the more difficult it becomes for people to navigate through your channel.

That’s why playlists are so important. Not only do playlists allow you to group your videos into categories to organize your channel, but also appeal to your viewers’ desire to binge.

For example, Beardbrand’s grooming channel has amassed hundreds of videos covering tons of topics. The channel’s various playlists help guide subscribers to relevant content without having to dig for it.

12. Increase engagement with calls to action

Sometimes simply asking for engagement is the best way to get your videos noticed, especially when you consider the immediacy and connection that video content can create.

Not everyone who enjoys one of your videos is going to remember to drop a like or become your subscriber, so it’s common to put these reminders in the description or in the video itself.

Especially if you’re an up-and-coming channel, there’s no shame in asking for some love directly. In fact, asking visitors a question to answer in the comments suggestion or to check out another video are perfect ways to keep the engagement rolling. You can likewise link to other videos or drop an external link to your site to serve as a sort of CTA.

13. Give live streaming a try

Live video is one of the biggest social media trends and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. With apps like Facebook, Periscope and Instagram making it easier than ever to stream live video, more and more brands are getting on board.

YouTube has been offering live videos for years but has only recently started picking up steam. You can take a look at some popular YouTube Live videos to get a sense of how other brands are using the platform.

Some examples of how you can use YouTube Live are:

• Webinars
• Live tutorials
• Q&A sessions
• Product demonstrations

Don’t worry if your streams don’t go as smoothly as you’d like. Part of the fun (and risk) of live video is you never know what’s going to happen. The unpolished, organic nature of live video is exactly what makes it compelling. For more tips on how to get started with YouTube Live, check out Google’s introduction to live streaming.

14. Collaborate with other creators and brands

A tactic some of the biggest YouTube stars used to grow their following is collaborating with other users. Each collaboration gives you exposure to a new audience. And the best part is those new viewers are more likely to subscribe to your channel since you’re working with a content creator they already know, like and trust.

The key to a successful YouTube collaboration is finding the right partner. You want to collaborate with content creators that share similar passions with your brand so your video comes off as authentic. This now-classic collaboration between BuzzFeed and Purina is a prime example of a thoughtful collaboration that doesn’t feel overly promotional.

15. Run a paid YouTube ad campaign

With marketing in general becoming more pay-to-play, you always have the option to get more visibility through paid YouTube ads. YouTube offers a variety of ad formats to choose from:

• Display ads: These ads show up on the right-hand sidebar of videos, and are only available on desktop.
• Overlay ads: These are semi-transparent ads that are displayed on the bottom part of a video. They’re only available on desktop.
• Skippable and non-skippable video ads: These ads show up before, during or after a video. Skippable ads can be skipped after five seconds, but non-skippable ads have to be watched all the way through before the viewer can watch their video.
• Bumper ads: These are non-skippable ads that have to be watched before the viewer can watch their video. They can be a maximum of six seconds.
• Sponsored cards: These are cards that get displayed within relevant videos. You can use them to promote your products or other content.

For your ad creatives, you can either use an existing video or create something new for a specific campaign. The advantage of using an existing video is you can choose a clip you know has been effective in the past. If a video has already gotten a lot of views and engagement organically, running paid ads can amplify your results.

On the flip side, creating a new video for your ads will allow you to create a more targeted piece of content that you have more control over. For instance, you can create an ad with a specific call-to-action at the end to direct viewers to a landing page or another video. You can learn more about YouTube’s video ad formats here.

16. Regularly publish your YouTube content to social media

It’s no secret that video content crushes it on social media in terms of engagement and performance.

As a result, you should regularly promote your YouTube channel to your social followers to encourage them to become subscribers. As soon as a video goes live, make a point to let your followers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn know about it. You can likewise create snippets or previews for each social platform that also link to your latest production.

With the help of Sprout Social, you can schedule your content and cross-promote it without having to jump from platform to platform. Features such as ViralPost® can also help ensure that your content goes live based on when your social audiences are engaged.

17. Incorporate pre-production best practices

Put your producer hat on and incorporate some pre-production best practices. There’s a lot that goes into creating video before the camera records, but using these methods will streamline your content production.

• Create a contingency plan. What will you do if there’s an issue with your shooting location? What if your talent becomes sick? Proactively plan so you’ll be prepared for the worst.
• Plan the video concept from start to finish. Use a storyboard to outline each part of the video. Use this outline to mark visual jokes, animations, call to actions, etc.
• Create a shot list. A shot list will help you consider important details like lighting, location and camera angles. Once your script and storyboard is complete, make a list of every scene and note the action and dialogue required for each. Mark the type of setup you want (e.g. wide angle vs. a close up).

Streamlining your content production means you’ll likely be able to produce more video because your process is a well-oiled machine versus one that is always in need of repair. Having a set process will also help ensure each video is striking the right cord because you’ve taken the time to think through important visual details and logistics that will add value to viewers. Since you’ll be able to create more relevant videos, you’ll get more views over time.

4 resources for growing your YouTube channel

In addition to the 17 tips above, make sure you’re up on all things YouTube. Maximize your efforts with these guides:

• How to create a YouTube channel for business – Simplify setting up and perfecting your business channel.
• 11 Tips for writing YouTube descriptions – Differentiate your videos and ensure they’re super findable with optimized descriptions.
• YouTube SEO: How to boost your videos’ rankings – YouTube has become one of the world’s biggest search engines. Follow these tips to make sure you’re meeting audience needs.
• YouTube hashtags: How to use hashtags to increase video views – Demystify how hashtags work on YouTube and get more eyes on your videos.

And with that, we wrap up our guide to how to get more views on YouTube!

How do you promote your YouTube channel?

Growing a YouTube audience doesn’t happen by accident. And yes, it can certainly feel like a grind if your space is crowded with competition.

That’s exactly why it pays to have a variety of promotional tactics in your back pocket. Although some of the tips above require more effort than others, each one can help you get more eyes on your channel and more subscribers as a result.

If you’re ready to ramp up your YouTube presence and start seeing real business results, Sprout Social’s YouTube integration has features to help you seamlessly schedule and publish content. Plus, with our integration, you can dive even deeper into analytics to improve your video strategy.

The post How to get more views on YouTube: 17 ways to promote your channel appeared first on Sprout Social.

And that’s why live streaming is becoming more common in B2B marketing. Enter LinkedIn Live, a native streaming platform for creators to broadcast in real-time.

From webinars to interviews and beyond, Live is a prime way to educate your B2B audience. We get it, many B2B marketers are totally new to the streaming world and what it entails.

That’s exactly why we put together this quick guide to getting started with LinkedIn Live.

Table of contents

• How to go live on LinkedIn step-by-step
• LinkedIn Live vs. LinkedIn Events
• Which types of presentations are best for LinkedIn Live?
• LinkedIn Live best practices and tips

How to go live on LinkedIn step-by-step

Let’s kick things off with the key steps of setting up your first LinkedIn stream.

Thankfully, the platform makes the process pretty quick and painless. You don’t need a bunch of technical know-how or equipment to get started.

1. Make sure you meet LinkedIn Live’s access criteria

If you’re not sure to apply to LinkedIn Live, don’t sweat it. No applications here.

LinkedIn Live is available to all creators and Pages. Granted you meet the platform’s broadcasting criteria, anyway. You simply need to tick the following boxes:

• A minimum of 150 followers/connections following for your account or Page
• Be located in a region approved for LinkedIn Live (aka not in mainland China)
• Have an account that’s in good standing with the platform (hint: no bans or violations)

Keep in mind that you can go live as either an individual (Creator) or as an individual on behalf of a Page. Individuals can’t stream to a Page and Pages can’t stream to individual profiles.

Simple enough, right?

2. Use the proper live stream equipment

If you can successfully host a Zoom meeting, you likely have the tools to go live on LinkedIn.

A dedicated webcam, microphone and reliable Internet connection are all standards for streaming. Depending on your hardware, onboard cameras and mics are sometimes subpar.

LinkedIn Live presentations don’t have to be pristine and polished. That said, try to maintain a sense of professionalism. We recommend testing your broadcast quality before trying LinkedIn Live. You can use a free, open-source tool like OBS to preview your streaming setup in action.

3. Pick your LinkedIn Live streaming service

Important: you cannot stream through LinkedIn Live events directly.

This is different from Instagram or TikTok where going live all happens in-app.

Don’t panic, though. LinkedIn does a lot of handholding to make it easy for creators to go live. You have two options:

1. Use one of LinkedIn’s preferred streaming partners to host your broadcast. This includes Restream, Socialive, StreamYard, SwitcherStudio or Vimeo.
2. Use LinkedIn Live’s video encoder tool to host your stream from an external platform. These platforms include Zoom, WebEx or OBS.

Deciding which method is “best” really depends on your tech stack and how-to. If you’re already comfortable with a tool like Zoom or OBS, start there. Generating a stream URL and key to connect your LinkedIn broadcast can be done in a matter of seconds.

4. Create a LinkedIn Event to attach your stream to

Many broadcasters choose to stream from LinkedIn Events versus Pages. That’s because Events makes it simple to schedule broadcasts and gather registrants.

Creating LinkedIn Live Event is a straightforward process. You’ll be prompted to fill out basic information about your broadcast. This includes the broadcast date, registration options and who’s presenting.

Once your event is created, you’ll be provided a custom URL to promote your presentation.

LinkedIn Live vs. LinkedIn Events

At a glance, Live and Events might seem identical. They’re not the same, though.

LinkedIn actually has a one-page breakdown to clear up the confusion. Here’s a summary:

• Live broadcasts can be streamed solely to Page followers or to private Event attendees
• Page streams are public and are heard more toward audience discussions and Q&As
• Events can only be accessed by attendees and are more “official”

In short, Pages are more community-focused. Live Events are ideal for more in-depth, formal presentations. Which you choose really depends on the types of streams you host.

Which types of presentations are best for LinkedIn Live?

LinkedIn Live is still growing as brands and creators experiment with new videos. Right now, creators are prioritizing:

• Webinars (traditional presentations, in-depth breakdowns of topics and trends)
• Panels and interviews
• Q&A sessions between communities

For example, interviews are popular among individual creators on LinkedIn Live. One-on-ones provide plenty of opportunities for unique discussions and perspectives. As an added bonus, going back and forth with someone means less time for silence.

Panels and workshops are likewise popping off on LinkedIn Live at the moment. Trends, tactics and strategy tips are always a safe bet for live presentations.

Educational webinars are likewise a safe bet. Niching down on topics is a smart move to attract relevant attendees.

LinkedIn Live best practices and tips

Recent video marketing statistics illustrate the demand for live video for consumers and brands.

That said, views on your LinkedIn Live presentation aren’t guaranteed by default. This is true even if you do have an established audience. Below are a few best practices to stick to.

Come up with a clear agenda for your stream

No surprises here, live streaming is not a place to freestyle.

Make a conscious effort to create some sort of skeleton or outline for your presentation.

If you’re totally new to video, consider a practice run-through and time yourself. You’d be surprised at how easy it is to rush through a presentation. The “one slide, one-minute” rule of thumb doesn’t always hold true.

On that note, make sure there’s enough meat in your presentation to hold viewers’ attention. LinkedIn Live is not the place for short-form streams. LinkedIn recommends a 10-minute streaming minimum for the sake of maximizing your audience. Most presentations are anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour.

Also, consider that having a clear agenda helps with promoting your stream. Establishing what topics you’ll cover beforehand make it easier to highlight the value you’ll provide to viewers.

Get your audience involved in the presentation

The beauty of live streaming is that it turns passive viewers into active participants.

The chat function in LinkedIn Live is perfect for getting your audience involved. You can pose questions to them, respond to comments or conclude your video with a full-blown Q&A.

Remember: live video is compelling because of interactions like these.

Another way to engage your audience is to field questions before filming your video. For example, you might ask followers on your Page if there’s anything they want you to cover.

Give your Live presentation an engaging title

Similar to YouTube, titles and thumbnails are crucial for earning viewers and attendees.

A title like “The Standout, Must-Need Skills for Digital Marketers” is a great example. The title works because it’s specific, value-packed and intriguing by design.

We naturally want to know what those skills are, right? Well, we’ll have to tune in to find out.

Food for thought: when you go live, attendees (and some followers) will automatically get a notification. With a compelling title, people will be more likely to tune in.

Actively promote your LinkedIn Live presence

Hosting a live stream can be a ton of work. Anything you can do to maximize viewers is a plus.

Getting the most mileage possible out of your presentation comes down to how you promote it. For starters, try to get as many people (attendees, employees, colleagues) to shout out your Live Event as possible. Rather than restrict your reach to a single Page or account, don’t be shy about spreading the word.

Also, LinkedIn features like topics and hashtags can earn your presentation more reach. Posting about your Live stream multiple times is fair game leading up to the big day. If you have the budget for them, you can also run Live clips as LinkedIn ads.

Speaking of which, make a point to give viewers ample time to plan and register. LinkedIn does some of the legwork for you by offering notifications and calendar slots for Live Events. If you have an email list, be sure to promote your presence there as well.

Once your broadcast is over, LinkedIn lets you share it on your Page or edit clips to promote in your feed. This highlights how LinkedIn Lives can be repurposed and treated as evergreen content.

Look at your LinkedIn analytics over time related to your Live videos over time. Then, you can determine whether your presentations resonate with your target audience. Note that in-depth analytics data is available for broadcasts to Page followers.

Are you ready to go live on LinkedIn?

Whether you’re a B2B brand or creator, LinkedIn Live is worth exploring if your goal is to educate your audience.

Using video content to cement your status as an industry expert is a smart move. This is especially true as many brands are still only experimenting with live streams.

Looking for fresh ways to level up on LinkedIn? Check out our comprehensive LinkedIn marketing guide if you haven’t already.

The post The ultimate guide to LinkedIn Live and how to use it appeared first on Sprout Social.

And the pressure is on. According to a Q4 2022 Sprout pulse survey, 72% of marketers cite “keeping up with changing social trends” as their biggest challenge heading into 2023.

So what is viral marketing today? And does chasing trends still make sense these days, or should brands focus on social as part of a bigger marketing funnel instead?

With the many changes social has experienced in recent years, the concept of viral marketing deserves to be revisited. Let’s get into it.

What is viral marketing today?

Viral marketing is a style of promotion that relies on an audience to organically generate and push the message of a product or service. On social media, marketing is considered “viral” when it’s being shared rapidly by the public at large (with a compounding effect) rather than just its target audience.

If achieved, your message will be in nearly everyone’s social media feed.

How does viral marketing work, though?

Modern viral marketing on social can be illustrated by the popularity of social media memes or trending TikTok sounds. Think about how seemingly random phenomena like Baby Yoda, the Milky Way meme or the “It’s Corn” trend take over your social feeds out of nowhere. Memes get shared and promoted like crazy because they resonate with people.

The same rules apply to viral marketing, when followers and customers share a brand’s content because it’s buzz-worthy. But while platforms like TikTok and formats like Instagram Reels have made viral marketing easier for brands, not all brands will achieve the universal reach they’re looking for.

Pro tip: When it comes to knowing what will resonate with your audience and beyond, you don’t need to start at square one. Just look at your data.

Find out what resonates with your audience with Sprout Analytics

Sprout’s analytics options provide presentation-ready insights that let you advocate for the power of social across your organization.

Dive even deeper into audience and content insights with our Advanced Analytics and Listening options.

Start a free trial to test out our analytics dashboards.

What are the pros and cons of viral marketing?

There’s no question that achieving at least one social media viral video is on many marketers’ bucket lists.

But, hot take: Going viral has its downsides.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of viral marketing:

The pros

• Increased brand awareness: When you go from 10-1,000 average engagements to 10,000,000, you’ve officially supercharged your brand awareness and potentially gained thousands of new fans or customers.
• Audience growth: More eyes on your brand inevitably leads to more fans and followers. For example, Shedd Aquarium’s viral “penguin field trips” campaign led to thousands of new followers gained in a matter of days.

• Increased sales: With more fans and brand awareness come more potential sales to be made.
• Becoming an “it” brand: Your name in Adweek, your posts in articles like this; viral marketing puts your brand, and your marketing team, on the map and positions you as an industry trendsetter. The aforementioned Shedd Aquarium is a local destination. But they reached people on all seven continents—yes, even Antarctica.

The cons

• The reception may not be what you expect: Viral campaigns are meant to create buzz. But sometimes, that buzz isn’t the positive response you’re hoping for.
• Losing control of your content and message: Once your content is out there, it’s out there. It can be re-posted and commented on by anyone else with a computer, and you cannot control what they do with it.
• More fans doesn’t always mean more customers: New followers and more commenters doesn’t always translate to more sales.
• The mountain of messages: When you go viral, it’s not unusual to have thousands of new messages in your inbox—every day, or even every hour. You need to stay on top of monitoring messages, without battling additional social media burnout. If you want to lean into viral marketing, using a tool like Sprout lets you capture all incoming messages across all your channels, filter and manage them in one central Smart Inbox hub.

What are some notable viral marketing examples?

One of our favorite viral marketing examples is the McDonald’s “can I get uhhhhhh” campaign—a commercial that played during The Big Game in 2022 (you know the one) and translated into wildly popular Tweets. By tapping into a relatable customer experience familiar to their audience, this campaign took off.

In 2022, Iceland tourism created a viral campaign that advertised their stunning scenery to potential travelers…with a touch of absurdism. They “trained” three horses to “respond” to visitors’ emails while they were away from work.

And one of the co-founders of break-out water brand “Liquid Death” credits viral marketing, in part, for the brand’s meteoric rise. In 2017, they launched a commercial on a minimal budget before they had a product. The commercial went viral, and their Facebook page racked up more followers than their major competitors in just a few months.

Since then, they’ve continued to tap into viral marketing campaigns that lean on humor and shock. In 2021, they sold a skateboard designed with paint mixed with Tony Hawk’s blood.

IHOP’s 2018 “IHOB” campaign, which saw the brand temporarily deem themselves the “International House of Burgers,” is another of the most notable viral marketing examples.

Although the brand saw some criticism for their bait-and-switch, the numbers from the campaign don’t lie.

Bear in mind that viral campaigns aren’t always humorous or light-hearted.

Popular campaigns like Always’ “Like a Girl,” the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and Gillette’s “Be a Man” ads tackle serious issues and stigmas. The popularity of these ads goes hand-in-hand with the rise of the need for authenticity on social and brands getting real.

What do most viral marketing campaigns have in common?

Although viral content varies wildly from business to business, there are three distinct elements that most campaigns share. Keep these in mind when trying to assess whether or not a campaign has the potential for serious buzz.

1. They’re organic

Reality check: Viral campaigns can’t be forced.

Content spreads organically. That’s how viral marketing works. Your audience ultimately decides what’s worth sharing.

Often, it’s about being at the right place at the right time (or rather, saying the right thing at the right time). You can’t really rationalize memes or crazes such as the “does pineapple belong on pizza” debate.

That said, marketers can set up their content for sharing by having a pulse on social trends (more on how you can achieve that later).

2. They’re timely

Trends come and go.

Although viral marketing campaigns have the potential to leave an impression on customers or the public, people have short attention spans for hot topics and trends. By the time one trend blows up, we’re often looking for the next craze.

Brands should be wary of trying to repeat viral campaigns or exhaust a popular trend. Just because something’s hot now doesn’t mean it’ll have staying power for years to come. It’s the reason why brands aren’t still parodying the “Harlem Shake” or “Gangnam Style.”

3. They’re bold

Bear in mind, there’s an inherent risk involved with viral marketing campaigns and tactics.

Going viral means doing something that grabs the public’s attention. That doesn’t happen by accident, nor does it happen by playing it safe.

For example, Liquid Death’s initial commercial and campaigns like their Tony Hawk collab are bold, and hard to scroll past.

Not all viral marketing campaigns are controversial, but they tend to be out of left field.

And with that, we uncover the big potential downside of viral marketing: going viral for the wrong reasons. Remember Kendall Jenner’s infamous 2017 Pepsi ad?

Where to start with viral marketing

As highlighted in our list of 2023 social media trends, marketers want concrete results from their investments in social media.

This means that going viral is a benefit—not a replacement for a scalable social strategy.

Even so, all brands can benefit from tapping into what audiences are buzzing about and reacting in a way that fits and furthers your brand identity.

If nothing else, all marketers should have a handle on what makes social content shareable.

Here are our six tips for marketers looking to produce viral, share-worthy content and increase their visibility on social.

1. Reflect on why you want to go viral in the first place

Are you looking for more mentions? Brand awareness? Trying to catch the eyes of customers?

Aligning your viral attempts with your overall goals will guide you toward creating meaningful content rather than just throwing something together and hoping that it sticks.

You need a plan of action with your content, and viral campaigns are no different. Years ago, marketers might have tried to argue that viral content has to catch on in whatever way possible.

Times have changed, though. Not all press is “good” press anymore.

2. Become a master of social media reporting

Remember what we said earlier about your audience playing a pivotal role in what gets shared?

Whether you’re looking to curate or create viral content, you need to know what resonates with your followers.

How do you figure that out? For starters, look at which pieces of content perform best by monitoring these social media metrics:

• Audience engagement
• Keyword traffic and performance
• Page impressions
• Clicks and reach
• Demographic data

Each of these social media metrics can give you insight into what has shareable potential.

Maybe it’s a video. Perhaps it’s a meme.

Regardless, social media analytics in Sprout can break down the performance of individual pieces of content and campaigns alike.

From there, you can start to build future campaigns based on what’s worked in the past.

3. Make sure your content is primed for sharing

This might seem like a no-brainer, but you have to make sure your content is optimized for quick and easy sharing.

For example, social campaigns shouldn’t be confined to your business’ main account. From blogs and newsletters to events in your network, consider how far you can spread your message.

Then, brainstorm the best social media channels for any promotion or piece of content. For example, image-based content is fair game for Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Viral videos are prime for YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.

It’s smart to make sharing as seamless as possible. You can make your audience have an easier time sharing your campaign by:

• Providing several different routes to share (like the above penguin video published on Twitter and TikTok)
• Giving away free products or services
• Finding the common motivations of your main audience
• Asking questions that get viewers or readers thinking and talking
• Never restricting or gating your content

4. Use hashtags to spread the word

Hashtags go hand in hand with more social shares.

For the sake of awareness and easy sharing, tacking a hashtag on any given campaign is a smart move to make it more visible and memorable to your audience.

Taking the time to create a hashtag is likewise worthwhile for tracking the success of your campaigns in terms of mentions and shares.

And with the help of hashtag analytics, you can uncover other relevant hashtags your audience is using while also measuring the performance of your own.

5. When in doubt, consider trendjacking

This is arguably the easiest way to raise brand awareness without going viral yourself. Trendjacking means piggybacking your brand onto a meme, relevant pop culture reference or viral trend. This has become one of the staple marketing practices for those trying to get a piece of the viral market.

Take the “It’s Corn” trend we’ve mentioned a few times. Compare the original to how several other brands—Sprout, Shedd Aquarium and Grammarly in this case—used this trending sound to tell their own story.

Through social listening, you can tap into these sorts of trends in real time and understand whether or not they’re relevant to your audience.

6. Humanize your content

This is a straightforward tip, but an important one.

A common thread between most pieces of viral content is that they’re human.

That is, they’re organic, personable and relatable. Authenticity is essential to reaching Gen Z and younger Millennials who are often the arbiters of what goes viral.

Brands tend to see a lot more shares when their content is humanized or appears genuine. Anything you can do to remove the corporate taste of your content is a plus.

Does viral marketing make sense for your brand?

Let’s be honest: going viral in the traditional sense is tough.

That said, there’s plenty to learn from the principles of viral marketing and what it takes to produce content that catches fire.

The tips above and technology like Sprout’s analytics and social listening tools can help you keep a constant pulse on what your audience wants, and which trends to watch.

Want to see how Sprout can help you as you develop viral content, and manage your viral success? Sign up for a free 30-day trial to see how our tools change the game.

The post What is viral marketing (and does it work in 2023)? appeared first on Sprout Social.

Chances are you’ve heard some variation of this advice recently, right?

From marketers to creators, the concept of personal branding is all the rage right now. This makes sense considering that consumers today crave connections and authenticity.

The problem is, branding yourself can be a struggle—especially if you don’t know what your brand voice is.

That’s why we’ve put together this ultimate guide to personal branding to help.

Table of contents:

• What is personal branding?
• Why is personal branding important?
• Examples of personal branding
• How to build a personal brand

What is personal branding?

Personal branding is how you present yourself as an individual to your audience.

Think about how corporate branding works. We associate specific feelings, values and expectations with brands we trust. Every company has a story and image.

Well, the same applies to you and your personal brand as well.

“Personal branding” is sometimes synonymous with being an influencer. This does not have to be the case for everyone. 

Your brand should highlight your human side. Voices and personalities set brands (and people!) apart. Branding yourself means aligning your online persona and your real-life one. 

Building your brand is not simply marketing yourself (although that’s part of it). Here are the key pieces of a personal brand:

• Voice and values. That is, what you say and what you believe. Your brand voice shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all or robotic.
  

• Content. What are you promoting to build your following? How are you presenting it?  Whether through entertainment value or education, your content is what attracts your audience.
  

• Creativity. You don’t need to be a creative genius to build a personal brand. That said, having some sort of creative trademark can help you stand out from the crowd.
  

• Personality. No surprises here! Good news: there is no one-size-fits-all personality type for your brand. Energetic? Laid back? Suit-and-tie? Great! Again, you have to do you.
  

• Authenticity. The concept of “creating” a persona is a turn-off for some. Your personal brand shouldn’t be manufactured or made up. Aligning your online persona with who you really are should be seamless. Once you figure out how to do it, your brand will never feel forced.

Why is personal branding important?

Fair question!  Below we break down why personal brand-building is worthwhile.

Standing out from the crowd

The people who’d benefit the most from a personal brand are often focused on building something else. A company, art, you name it.

Like it or not, we’re entering an era where everyone is a content creator. That means that who we are and what we make are often one and the same.

Among the countless creators and marketers out there, growth is daunting. Our audience only has so much attention to give. 

With a compelling brand and consistent content, you give yourself a chance to shine. People don’t grow audiences or garner influence by accident. Both your personal brand and what you create are totally in your control, too.

Relatability and authenticity matter to modern audiences

Recent research says that consumers overwhelmingly trust authentic and relatable brands. Apply the same logic to individuals. This is especially important in an era where “influence” can feel manufactured. 

Making stronger connections with your community

Food for thought: brand alignment with personal values is more important to consumers in 2022 than it was in 2021.

Again, your voice and values are directly tied to your ability to grow your audience. 

Putting your personality front and center attracts like-minded followers. That also means making connections to understand your audience’s needs and challenges. This goes hand in hand with establishing trust and making meaningful connections.

Sprout’s #BrandsGetReal research reflects this phenomenon, too. 91% of people believe that social has the power to connect people.

Examples of successful personal branding

It’s important to note that anyone can build a personal brand (hint: not just celebrities). In fact, employee advocacy and personal branding are becoming intertwined as more employees post on behalf of brands.

Here are a few examples of people who’ve built personal brands across industries:

• Founders like Sparktoro CEO Rand Fishkin. Rand’s positive demeanor, sense of style and eagerness to educate has helped him build a massive audience over the years. According to Rand himself, personal brands should be a byproduct of building (and not a persona that’s forced).
  
• Twitch streamers like Pokimane. Pokimane amassed millions of followers across platforms including Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Her self-aware sense of humor and willingness to interact with fans are her trademarks.
• Celebrities like Dwayne Johnson. Despite being one of the most famous celebrities in the world, Johnson isn’t afraid to give a peek into his personal life. He regularly replies to fans with personal and vulnerable stories.

• Politicians like Maxwell Frost. Frost is making a name for himself as the first member of Gen Z in Congress. His candid posts and sense of humor represent a new brand of politician that’s far from the norm.

How to build your personal brand in 5 steps

Now, onto the good stuff!  Brand-building requires conscious effort. Below are five actionable steps you can take to get yours off the ground. 

1. Figure out where your brand currently stands

Building a successful personal brand means having a following. After all, followers validate that what you’re doing is valuable to others.

But this is a sort of chicken-and-egg situation.  You need followers to establish your brand, right? That said, you can’t establish your brand without followers.

So start from square one by asking yourself:

• Have many followers do you currently have?
• What communities can serve as the basis for a bigger audience?
• Where am I most active? Where is my audience most active?
• What are my goals? Followers, traffic, sales?

To avoid spreading yourself thin, we recommend prioritizing growth on one network at a time. Having a presence is one thing but actively branding yourself on a platform is serious work.

2. Brainstorm ways to provide value to your audience

Again, followers and clout don’t happen by accident.

What value you provide varies depending on your industry and audience. Generally speaking, building a unique personal brand means creating something, well, unique. New ideas and resources. That might be:

• Educational content (tips, tutorials, how-tos)
• Personal anecdotes and experiences
• Ratings and reviews on products or brands relevant to your audience
• Original artwork or music
• Fresh perspectives and opinions
• Motivational content

Heck, it could be all of the above.

In short, you need to create something that highlights your value and influence. People need a reason to follow you. Consistently creating valuable content is how you start.

3. Be consistent when putting yourself out there

Piggybacking on the point above, consistency counts.

Building your brand means maintaining your brand, too. Regularly sharing and creating content is a must-do. You can’t let your account gather cobwebs. This applies to responding to comments from followers, too.

Consistency is arguably the biggest challenge of building a personal brand.

Let’s say you have your audience split across Instagram and TikTok. As noted by how often to post on social media, different networks demand different publishing frequencies. Either way, it’s a lot of pressure to post on a regular basis. This circles but to what we said about spreading yourself thin.

Growing across networks is easier with social publishing tools like Sprout Social. Scheduling and cross-posting means you can publish to multiple networks at once. This means less chaos and no need to bounce between platforms.

Consistency also matters when it comes to your personal branding across networks. This is where your creatives like logos and color schemes come into play.

4. Prioritize trust, authenticity and relatability

Despite popular belief, building a personal brand doesn’t mean having a magnetic personality. You can absolutely be introverted or even “quiet” and still build a valuable brand. 

The key is being relatable and real. That means sharing content and experiences that speak to your audience. This could include challenges you overcame or resources to solve a problem. 

Before posting anything related to your personal brand, always ask yourself:

• “How does this build trust?”
• “Am I being real with my audience?”
• “Who does this post or piece of content speak to?”

If you have confident answers to all of the above, you’re golden.

5. Be conscious about avoiding brand burnout

• Don’t make personal branding too personal. There’s a fine line between being vulnerable and oversharing. Set boundaries for yourself in terms of what you’re willing to put out there. Branding yourself shouldn’t be uncomfortable.
• Don’t overdo it. When your brand starts growing, you might feel pressure to post more or create more content. That’s great! Still, don’t sacrifice quality for quantity.
• Don’t overthink it. We get it: “be yourself” sounds like cliche advice. It still applies, though. That’s because brand authenticity matters and people can tell when you’re faking a persona. You’ll be much happier with the process of brand-building if you stay true to yourself.

How are you building your personal brand?

Listen: there is no rulebook for building your personal brand. That’s because it’s all unique to you.

And hey, that’s good news!

Building a personal brand can feel daunting. Focusing on legitimately helpful content in your own voice is a good place to start.

Sticking to the steps below can help put you on the right track. If you haven’t already, check out our 30-day social media plan to jumpstart your branding journey.

The post The complete guide to personal branding appeared first on Sprout Social.

But what about listening to your brand’s audience?

With social listening, you can finally know exactly what your customers need without digging around endlessly for answers.

Consumer conversations are more transparent than ever in the age of social media. From call-outs to shout-outs, there are endless opportunities to learn about your audience. This includes:

• Topics and trends that your customer base is passionate about
• Ways for your company to outshine your competitors
• Emerging pain points and challenges your customers face
• Which types of marketing messages really resonate

The problem? Brands are often guessing and not listening. 

Through strategic social listening, brands can analyze customer conversations at scale. The end result is a more meaningful and effective social media marketing strategy. 

If you want more confident answers to the questions above, social listening can help.

Table of Contents:

• What is social listening?
• The value of social listening
• Social listening strategies for brands
• Social listening tools
• How to get started with social listening

What is social listening?

Social listening involves analyzing conversations and trends related to your brand. These include conversations relevant to your company, competitors and industry at large. Insights from these conversations are used to make informed marketing decisions.

Let’s be clear, though: social listening is about more than tags and @mentions. Sure, listening involves acting on direct feedback from people. But it also involves reading between the lines.

 Here’s a breakdown of the five Ws (and one H!) of social listening: 

• Who is your audience?
• What does your audience want?
• When is your audience engaging with you?
• Where is your audience active and engaged?
• Why does your audience talk about you?
• How can you better serve your audience?

Being confident about the questions above is invaluable for marketers. These answers can inform your messaging and improve your content strategy. Not to mention uncover opportunities to find influencers and brand partners.

Social monitoring vs. social listening

While these two concepts might seem identical, they’re far from the same. 

Monitoring tells you what. Listening tells you why.

The food industry is a prime example of how both concepts work and why they matter. For example, restaurants need to know what customers are buzzing about. This might mean their favorite dishes or a new menu announcement. 

But the “why” is arguably more important. For example, why are customers reaching out in the first place? Is it a customer service issue? Are customers piling on praise or complaints? These mentions speak to bigger issues that go beyond a single interaction.

Social media monitoring

Monitoring involves tracking and responding to messages received about your brand. Here’s an example from CAVA.

The above example illustrates a brand taking the time to engage with a customer. That initial interaction could have been a complaint or shout-out. Through monitoring and engaging, the entire interaction was positive regardless.

Social listening

CAVA could also use interactions to draw conclusions about first-time customers. They could gain a high-level perspective on how new store locations are doing, too.

Tracking and aggregating these one-off social messages through monitoring would be one approach. The better approach? Using social listening to aggregate that data. 

Listening is about understanding the bigger picture. Both social listening and social media monitoring are critical for brands, though. It’s not a matter of either-or. Think of listening and monitoring as a sort of spectrum (see below).

The value of social listening

Brands big and small can benefit from listening data. 

Done right, you can translate social conversations into better content and more revenue.

Imagine you work for a company like Netflix. In this scenario, you’re a creative director.

Chances are you have access to tons of data to inspire the direction of your next series. This includes viewership rates, popular genres and most-watched actors.

But let’s say you don’t have all of that data at your fingertips.

Or maybe there are some missing details holding you back from a confident decision.

That’s when you can turn to social media listening to fill in the gaps. Think about how much the average consumer loves to sound off about, well, anything. Granted you know where (and how!) to look. 

Social listening provides awesome opportunities to translate these conversations into actionable business insights. Here at Sprout, we’ve narrowed down five key use cases that our customers use listening for:

• Brand health: gauging public perception of your brand or products
• Industry insights: analyzing discussions or hashtags within an industry
• Competitive analysis: analyzing a competing brand or product.
• Campaign analysis: reporting on how a campaign is performing
• Event monitoring: monitor audience response to a conference or event

A social listening example from a restaurant chain

Chances are your company could leverage many of the above strategies.

Let’s illustrate how with a simple example. Imagine you’re responsible for marketing a franchise restaurant undergoing a brand overhaul. New menu, new branding, the works. 

Your current focus is understanding which dishes your customers can’t get enough of. Second-guessing or going off gut feelings isn’t an option here. 

So you create a social listening topic that monitors social mentions of your brand. Then, you start dig through the themes and looking for common threads. Below is a sample report pulled from Sprout’s social listening tools.

Here are a handful of insights and action items if you were marketing for the restaurant above:

• Notice how burritos are a hot item that customers love to discuss. However, it’s notable that a good chunk of those burrito mentions has a negative sentiment. It would make sense to dig deeper into this data to understand what folks like and don’t like.
• Quesadillas don’t get a lot of love. They’re mentioned infrequently and also have the highest percentage of negative mentions. As a result, quesadillas might be a candidate to be cut from your new menu.
• On the flip side, your customers love nachos. Although they don’t get the most mentions, they earn the most positive shout-outs. An awareness campaign focused on nachos would make sense.

Social listening strategies

Have a question about your product, customers or competition? 

From granular data to big-picture insights, social listening can uncover answers. Sprout has built-in social listening templates to help brands build their strategies faster.

Need inspiration and examples of how to leverage listening in the real world?  We’ve got you covered!

Like we said, most brands focus on five key goals. Below we’ve broken them down in detail.

Strategy #1: Brand health

Pop quiz: how do people feel about your brand?

Public perception matters. Paying attention to positive and negative sentiments around your brand is crucial. This can clue you in on what people love about you and where you can improve.

In fact, listening data challenges you to rethink assumptions about your brand. That’s a good thing, too!

You might think your brand is untouchable when it comes to quality or service. But do your customers and industry really feel the same?

It’s easy to get stuck in a bubble when it comes to your brand and sentiment.  Social listening provides the truth straight from the mouths of your target audience. Embracing these insights can help you fine-tune your messaging, product strategy and more.

Answers that listening can uncover about your brand health include:

• How do customers feel about my brand or product?
• Is perception trending up or down?
• Which types of content do people share about my brand?
• Does my social audience align with other channels?
• Frequent social listening provides a pulse on common customer questions, comments and complaints. Not to mention demographics and general sentiment around your brand. 

Absorbing all of this at once can be overwhelming. Our suggestion? Once you’ve gathered your conversational data, it’s time to brainstorm your next steps. Here are examples of actions you can take right away:

• Find your most frequently asked questions. Then, create a FAQ document or knowledge base to answer these questions at scale.
• Find your customers’ most common issues. Then, figure out streamlined solutions or create talk tracks to respond quickly.
• Figure out what your customers love about you. Then, incorporate that information into your campaigns and content strategy.
• Identify your key social media customers. Then, figure out how you can utilize their traits to target new social audiences.

Read between the lines of positive and negative comments. If sentiment skews negative, don’t panic. Determine if the problem is with your social presence or your company at large. For example, a social content strategy can be revamped ASAP. Issues like a poor perception of products or your service team run deeper.

Here’s the big question when it comes to brand health, though:

Are your customers happy?

If your answer isn’t a resounding “yes,” then you have work to do. Listening reports provide a gut-check on your brand health.

And sure, sometimes sentiment is hurt by factors outside of our control.

From shipping issues to service outages, sentiment can nosedive for many reasons. The key is to understand the cause for negative comments and prep for the future. 

If you have slowdowns during your product updates, maybe there’s an issue with your tech stack. If your service team is bogged down with shipping complaints, find the root cause. Then, you can move towards the next steps to prevent all of the above from happening again.

It’s critical for brands to not silo social listening data related to brand health. If anything, this is the data that’s most valuable to the rest of your organization. 

Listening data provides firsthand insight into what makes your audience happy (or unhappy). This includes main themes, keywords, audiences and locations.  These details could lead outside teams like product or fulfillment to a major “aha” moment.

Strategy #2: Industry insights

Done right, social listening identifies industry trends before they even become trends. 

Industry hashtags and discussions are invaluable for brands in this department. 

There’s a lot of noise to sift through, sure. Close listening to the right conversations can clue you on ways to pivot or get ahead of industry trends. 

This can likewise influence your messaging and content strategy. Adapting to industry trends can give you a serious competitive advantage.

Here as some ways to use listening for industry insights:

• Keep an eye on disruptions to your space (think: new tech, competitors or legislation)
• Track political and social issues to weigh in on if they’re relevant to your brand.
• Find gaps in the industry that a new product, solution or workflow could solve
• Look for frequently asked questions to create content your audience needs.

The current discourse over AI content is a great example. From marketers to artists and consumers, the impact is wide-reaching. Some are concerned, others are supportive and many are uncertain. There are plenty of hot takes and game-changing claims, too. Tech brands will monitor the implications for their own products and customers.

The power of social listening for industries goes beyond trends, too. Many brands use listening tools to identify relevant influencers. The boom of the creator economy speaks for itself. 

With so many creators, finding a good fit requires some serious digging. Listening to specific terms or conversations can help you find influencers faster. This beats sifting through social bios or countless pieces of content.

• Find your current top influencers and empower them to advocate for you
• Find all of the influencers in your industry and create a list of people to collaborate with
• Find your competitor’s top influencers and attempt to win them over.
• Figure out the best networks for your strategy (ex: TikTok versus Instagram)

Strategy #3: Competitive analysis

Social media is fiercely competitive. That isn’t going to change.

And so many of our most popular listening reports are about competitive analysis.

New companies are constantly popping up in both B2B and B2C. Keeping up with your direct competitors is hard enough. Not to mention indirect competitors fighting for your audience’s attention.

Through listening, you can monitor conversations related to your competitors. This includes:

• Determining your share of voice. This includes your volume of mentions and messages versus your competitors.
• Understanding your competitors’ shortcomings. This could be related to their product, service or messaging. Then, brainstorm how you can create a better experience.
• Finding competitive content that outperforms your own. Then, analyze why it resonates with your shared audience.
• Quickly identifying new products or solutions. Determine how people feel about new offerings in your space. Then, consider how you can pivot or reposition yourself to outshine them.

Competitive shortcomings aren’t always obvious. A thoughtful social listening strategy can help you hone in on them. This is especially valuable if you’re taking on a bigger competitor. Positioning is key when you can’t outspend or brute force your way into greater awareness.

The skincare space best illustrates this phenomenon. 

There are more brands and competitors than we can count. That said, there are specific terms relevant to specific audiences and their needs. This might include “acne-prone”, “k-beauty” or “retinol.”

Likewise, brands are constantly being pitted against each other by consumers and influencers. “Versus” and “this or that” posts are particularly popular. Brand advocates tend to pop off in the comment sections of these posts, too.

Paying attention to these conversations can be eye-opening. This is especially true regarding your competitors’ advantages and shortcomings.

Strategy #4: Campaign analysis

Brands spend so much energy on fresh campaign ideas.

But how can you say with confidence whether or not a campaign succeeded? 

You can’t repeat your positive results if you don’t know what’s working. On the flip side, you don’t want to rely on strategies that underperform.

Listening tactics boost your campaign success dramatically. Think through the following capabilities for your next campaign.

• Track the impressions and engagements around your campaign posts.
• Quickly gather general sentiment around specific campaigns.
• Identify the top influencers discussing your campaigns.
• Understand which of your audience demographics the campaign resonates with.
• Figure out the key themes behind your campaigns
• Track collaborative campaigns from a single source of truth.

Social listening can finally prove to you the value of your marketing campaigns. Start by crafting listening topics to capture the conversations around your campaign. Analyzing hashtags or handles can uncover countless metrics to clue you in.

You can then break down all of these insights by:

• Network
• Content type
• Message type
• Sentiment

Strategy #5: Event monitoring

Events and conferences are prime sources of valuable listening data.

Because in-person sentiment and conversations are difficult to track at scale. The good news is that most of those conversations are simultaneously happening online.

Listening by title or terms associated with sessions and speakers is a start. Consider also how listening can open your eyes to:

• Your attendees’ favorite events, speakers and sessions
• Opportunities to improve the event experience
• Whether your event led to meaningful business opportunities

Why use social listening for events

Want to know whether your audience is pleased and received your message?

Gathering feedback is a must-do given the legwork required to put on an event. You want to make sure your investment of time and energy is worth the effort.

From recruiting events and conferences to performances and beyond, listening is fair game. Gauging audience reactions is a common use of listening analysis. It’s an effective one, too.

Event monitoring: Predicting the Oscars with social sentiment

Sprout worked with Inc. to predict outcomes during the 2018 Oscars. We looked at three categories: Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Actress in a Leading Role.

We pulled data on each individual nominee to find their total social mentions. Then, we analyzed total positive mentions against total negative mentions. Each nominee’s net Positive Mentions were then used to predict winners.

Pretty cool, right? This is a prime example of the potential of harnessing user sentiment online.

Understanding Sprout’s social listening tools

Early we discussed how social listening is a spectrum.

Specifically, a spectrum that spans brand monitoring and marketing insights. 

Gathering and analyzing social data seems straightforward. That said, turning that data into “What’s next?” is more complicated. Doing so requires context.

Sprout’s tools span the listening spectrum to provide those answers and insights. We balance both engagement and analytics use cases for listening.

Now, let’s dive deeper into how each of Sprout’s social listening tools can boost your business. This includes providing better service, improving your content strategy and fine-tuning your messaging.

Smart Inbox

Sprout’s Smart Inbox tracks every conversation with and about your brand. Think of it as your home base for social listening.

Our unified Smart Inbox helps businesses engage and build relationships with their audiences. This is done by organizing all of your ongoing customer communication. We empower brands to prioritize their most important messages across channels. Brands can use the Smart Inbox to:

• Create a one-stop shop for social engagement. Bouncing between platforms and log-in screens is a poor use of your time. The Smart Inbox aggregates your messages in one place.
• Stay focused and never miss a message. With one inbox, you’re less likely to overlook your notifications. You can likewise use the Smart Inbox to track branded keywords. You won’t miss notifications for those, either.
• Maintain engagement as a team. The Smart Inbox was built with team collaboration in mind. Our platform helps brands increase their response time and reduce duplicate conversations.

Brand Keywords

The Brand Keywords feature captures Twitter conversations relevant to your brand, industry and competition.

Not every shout-out or call-out is tagged. Likewise, not every piece of content about your brand is tied to a hashtag.

It’s easy to miss out on these messages. Searching for them manually is a massive time sink, though. Catching them all is impossible without some sort of tracking tool.

That’s where we come in. Brand Keywords are custom searches that run consistently. These results display in your Smart Inbox.  You can then interact with them like any other message.

The Brand Keywords feature offers strategic opportunities to:

• Find your most important messages. Add keywords mentioning your company and products. Common misspellings of those, too. You can also uncover conversations that don’t @tag you directly.
• Find new opportunities. A real-time pulse on branded keywords means you can influence people faster. For example, let’s say someone tweets for opinions on your brand versus a competitor. You can jump in to recommend your product or explain your company’s advantages.

Trends Report

The Trends Report highlights popular topics and hashtags related to your brand.

For example, our Twitter report shows tags and topics trending in your mentions. You can also see the people and brands that engage with your business the most.

Brands can leverage the Trends Report to:

• Take the guesswork out of content creation. Quickly filter campaign and demographic data to identify top content. Then, tailor your marketing strategy to create more of it.
• Identify trending topics to reach new audiences. Spot emerging trends and top content relevant to your brand, competitors or industry.
• Leverage hashtag listening and reporting. For example, you can perform quantitative and qualitative analyses of keywords and hashtags. Then, you can compare your campaigns’ success and your share of voice

Keyword Report

The Keyword Report reveals basic keywords related to your brand, competition and industry.

The Twitter Keyword report instantly uncovers trends in Twitter traffic for any keyword. This includes hashtags or long-tail search queries across any date range. Consider how the Keyword Report can:

• Keep tabs on your industry. Track your brand against the competition and trends.
• Track effectiveness and reach. This applies to your past and current hashtag or marketing campaigns.
• Discover patterns in keyword usage. Consider how some terms or trends fall out of favor. Then, adjust your marketing efforts to reflect that new language.
• Track your brand’s products and sentiment. You can measure this against yourself or your competitors.

Listening

Insights from Sprout’s Listening features are among the most valuable for brands. This includes emerging trends, identifying thought leaders and deep sentiment analysis.

And with Sprout’s built-in templates, you can start listening ASAP.

These listening tools are a powerful complement to our extensive social monitoring features. You can get a comprehensive view of keywords, campaigns and brands across platforms. This includes Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, TikTok, YouTube and more.

Social listening offers a window into the unfiltered thoughts of your audience. When these thoughts are front-and-center, trendspotting is so much easier. You can likewise uncover threads and gauge feelings around any given topic.

These insights inform your big-picture business decisions. Meanwhile, your Smart Inbox tracks specific interactions and engagements with your customers. It’s the best of both worlds!

Here’s a snapshot of what Sprout’s Listening can do:

• Empower your organization. Sprout’s listening data takes your team’s impact beyond social media. You can offer actionable insights to strengthen other departments. Sales teams and customer service, in particular, can learn a lot from listening data. 
• Cut time to insight and action. Learn and act at the speed of social media. Having your listening data alongside your publishing tools means hopping on trends faster.
• Organize your social presence in one platform. Streamline your workflow by eliminating jumps from point solution to point solution.
• Research with intention. We provide filtering options to help you get relevant answers fast. Doing so means cutting through the noise.
• Create targeted Topics with ease. The Topic Builder makes it simple to set up complex and relevant queries. You can then search and research these topics over and over again.

How to get started with social listening

There are obviously a lot of moving pieces here.

To wrap things up, let’s dive into what it looks like to ease into social listening for the first time as a business.

Choose a social listening tool

A key benefit of social listening is that it takes and makes sense of millions of social messages. Synthesizing all that data requires tools. 

So the first question you need to answer is: build them or buy them?

Do you want to build and maintain your own internal social listening tool? Should you look into a third-party provider to do the heavy lifting? 

This really depends on your bandwidth and budget.

Determine your initial goals and desired outcomes

Ask yourself: what do you want to get out of social listening?

Goal-setting is key for any marketing initiative and listening is no exception. There’s no “right” answer here. That said, goals will guide your strategy.

Here are some of the most common goals and outcomes we see from brands:

• Run a deep analysis of your brand to understand what customers and prospects think.
• Monitor your industry or niche to keep a pulse on what’s new and what would make good content.
• Keep an eye on your competitors’ products, audiences and marketing tactics.
• Figure out what kind of content to share based on trends and data.
• Identify your key social media audiences to better inform your targeting strategy.

Choose relevant data sources

Pop quiz: where should you pull your listening data from?

Twitter is the go-to source of data for more social listening tools. That’s why we recommend starting with Twitter listening if even if your brand isn’t active there. Listening on Instagram and Facebook is also possible. 

The trick is trying to manage all of these platforms without a third-party tool. Again, combing through mentions manually is super tedious. 

Sprout pulls its social data from a variety of sources. Social apps, the web and more. This approach gives you the most comprehensive sense of where your brand stands.

Build your topics and themes to listen to

Building your actual listening topics is key to a successful strategy.

Brainstorm specific queries relevant to your rand. This includes terms you want to listen for and noise to avoid.

What to query

• Keywords or phrases
• Hashtags
• Cashtags
• Mentions of user
• Mentions from user
• Mentions to user

And/or logic

Listening is about more than just hashtags and keywords. You can refine the logic of your search even more with additional parameters.

For example, say you want to track sentiment around Chicago-style pizza. Your query may end up looking more like below.

Now all sorts of variations will register:

• chicago pizza
• chi-town pizza
• chicago deep dish
• chi-town deep dish
• chicago pie

Exclusions

Consider how “Chicago pie” could mean pizza or baked goods.  This is an example of where exclusions can be helpful. For example, you may add pie flavors to ensure that the scope of your search is limited to pizza.

Gather data to inform your strategy

After refining your topics, you can start collecting data to inform your strategies. 

Let’s run with our Chicago-style pizza example. Below is a word cloud of the frequently mentioned keywords based on the query.

You can click on each keyword to get a better sense of what the messages mean. You might notice that a lot of the messages mention cold weather in Chicago. What can you do with this information?

• Create social posts about whether you’re open when it’s freezing out
• Write a post about how pizza sales are impacted by temperatures
• Come up with a playful, weather-themed promotion
• Think altruistically! Think about Chicago shelters or workers that could benefit from a free pizza

Measure the results of your listening efforts relative to your goals

How do you know if your listening strategy is working or not?

Fair question! As always, look at your data. Your priority metrics will depend on the goals of your campaign. 

Here are some sample listening metrics to consider:

• Clicks
• Reach
• New followers
• Profile visits
• Engagement rates
• Engagement speed

Ready to start listening?

The closer you listen, the more meaningful relationships you can form with customers.

That’s why mapping out a social listening strategy matters.

Instead of doing all of the above by hand, consider how a tool like Sprout can streamline the process. Not to mention pull accurate, up-to-date data in real time. 

Want to translate your customer conversations into action? Sprout’s tools can tell your team exactly how. Check out a free trial of Sprout Social to test-drive our listening features for yourself.

The post Social listening: Your launchpad to success on social media appeared first on Sprout Social.

We know there are pros and cons of social media use, but it’s important to remember there is a human working hard on the social accounts of your favorite brands. For every wholesome piece of social content we see, there’s drama and depressing news to offset it.

Food for thought: daily social media usage has peaked at an average of 147 minutes per day. More and more of our day-to-day interpersonal interactions happen via smartphone screens.

Still, society’s spotlight on social media is driving productive conversations about mental health. Not to mention addressing the stigma associated with those who struggle.

Below we break down how to manage mental health and social media. This includes healthy habits and tips for navigating it both personally and professionally.

Social media and mental health: the big picture                      

Consider that one in five Americans report receiving treatment for their mental health. Given how integral social media is to our daily lives, we can’t afford to ignore its impact on our well-being.

That includes the good and the bad.

Let’s kick things off by digging into both sides of the debate.

Why is social media bad for mental health?

Social media gets a bad rep when it comes to mental health. It’s not totally unfounded when you consider the following.

Pressure from FOMO and “always on” culture

Being connected to friends, colleagues and the rest of the world 24/7 is both a blessing and a curse.

Enter the “always on” nature of social media. That is, an unspoken (and sometimes explicit!) pressure to be active.

Always listening. Always present. Always posting.

This has led to the phenomenon of FOMO (fear of missing out) and the pressures that come with it. This includes the pressure to…

• Stay informed. From a never-ending news cycle to ads and updates, there’s a constant flood of content to consume. Keeping up with it all is downright overwhelming. This includes content we want to see.
• Respond. This applies to both personal and professional social media use. Expectations are high when it comes to response time for consumers. Leaving anyone on read feels like a no-go.
• Post. Many people feel compelled to post even when they don’t want to. Research says that 45% of Gen Z claim that there’s too much pressure to be perfect on social media.

Negative news and conflict tend to thrive in social feeds

The inner workings of social media algorithms are complicated.

That said, conventional wisdom says algorithms tend to favor whatever earns the most clicks, comments and shares.

And in many cases, that ends up being controversial or conflict-driven content.

This creates a snowball effect of negativity in our social feeds. The more interactions a controversial or debate-bait post gets, the more fuel for the algorithm. Coupled with the pressure to be “always on,” negative habits such as doom-scrolling are now common.

Ill effects of excessive screen time

As noted earlier, the amount of time spent on social media is on the rise.

This is a big concern among parents on behalf of the younger crowd. There’s been ample research published on the negatives associated with too much screen time. This includes:

• Fatigue
• Depression
• Poor sleep quality

Sure, nobody is forcing us to stare at screens all day (unless it’s part of your job). Smartphones are a non-negotiable part of modern life for most Americans. That doesn’t negate these potential health problems, though.

How does social media help people improve their mental health?

The potentially negative effects of social media are clear.

That said, we shouldn’t outright ignore the positive impact that social media. Below we highlight how social serves as a net positive for our mental well-being.

Raising awareness to support issues and people

Platforms like Twitter and Instagram have fostered countless conversations regarding social issues. Specifically, issues that people otherwise may not encounter face-to-face in their communities. This includes:

• Resources for mental health and treatment
• Awareness of social and political causes (#FightFor15 or #InsulinForAll)
• Support for marginalized groups

Community-building and relationships

Despite its flaws, social media objectively offers a place for people to come together.

This includes community-building for folks from all walks of life. From artists connecting with fans to friends staying in touch, making connections via social is possible. Not to mention easier than ever.

Possibilities to connect and learn regardless of geography

If nothing else, social media democratizes information and communication.

Consider how many people use social media exclusively to communicate. With over six billion smartphones in the world, social platforms provide a place to connect, share and learn.

How to prioritize mental health as a social media professional

Tackling social media burnout is tricky.

Because logging off is easier said than done when your job is tied to social media interactions.

Dealing with negativity and even abuse from social strangers is bad enough. Juggling those tough conversations with the problems noted above makes it all seem worse.

If it all feels like too much to deal with, take a step back. Below are some pointers for maintaining your mental health as a social media professional.

Set limits and boundaries

This is the big one. Advocating for yourself in a professional role is crucial. That means setting boundaries in terms of what is acceptable in your day-to-day duties. We recommend setting limits when it comes to:

• Comments and criticism from customers. Acknowledge when a customer is being unreasonable or hostile. There’s a line between confrontation and harassment that customers shouldn’t cross. Reserve the right to step away when they do.
• Assistance and support. Know your role and scope of work. Just because you work in social media doesn’t mean you have to be a therapist or conflict mediator.
• Logging off. When you’re off the clock, you’re off the clock. Separating your personal and professional social media should be a priority. This might require some getting used to if you work remotely. That said, being “on” 24/7 is mentally draining.

Lean on your team

Ironically enough, working in social media can be pretty lonely.

Chatting with customers and publishing content won’t satisfy your need for personal interactions.

This speaks to the value of collaborating with your team and communicating with them consistently. You should feel supported and likewise support those that might be facing burnout themselves.

Many companies use Slack for this very reason. For example, some teams have dedicated channels for celebrating each other or sharing memes. Think of your team channel as somewhere to get a serotonin boost throughout the day.

Inject some personality into your professional presence

Making connections with others is possible through content. For example, many brands go out of their way to show off their human side via social. Granted doing so aligns with your brand, some ideas include:

• Wholesome or playful content “just because”
• Behind-the-scenes content or content as you (versus your business)
• Inspirational or motivational content

Brands often benefit when their social media presence isn’t 100% suit-and-tie. You might even be able to integrate conversations about mental health into your content calendar (think: Mental Health Day).

Break up your tasks so they’re more mentally manageable

Pro-tip: don’t create needless stress for yourself.

Put the “always on” nature of social away unless you’re in a service-centric role. Even then, you don’t need to grind away at tedious tasks without breaks. Consider time management methods like the Pomodoro technique. Break up your most mentally taxing tasks into chunks versus tackling them all at once.

Unless you’re dealing with a true emergency, chances are social replies from customers and colleagues can wait a minute or two. Give yourself some breathing room.

Move around (like, literally)

The value of simply getting up and taking a breather can’t be overstated.

Depending on your situation, that might mean a yoga break or a 10-minute walk. It could also be a few seconds to stand and stretch. The correlation between sit-stand desks and productivity is notable.

If nothing else, make a conscious effort to take breaks away from your screen. That includes your smartphone, too. Maybe that means taking notes by hand or taking a call without your webcam on. Find what works for you.

4 tips for healthier social media usage in your personal life

Developing healthier habits professionally is easier when your personal social use is stress-free.

To wrap things up, let’s look at some tips for ensuring a healthier social media diet in your personal life.

1. Keep your personal social media truly personal

Most social media professionals don’t double-dip their private and personal accounts.

That said, you can take things a step further to protect your mental health. This includes:

• Setting boundaries and being firm about logging off. Again, work notifications can wait.
• Unfollowing (or reducing) industry-related accounts in your personal feed.
• Avoiding “professional” networks (LinkedIn, sometimes Twitter) for more “authentic” ones (BeReal, TikTok)

2. Curate a positive social feed

Despite popular belief, fighting back against negativity from social algorithms is possible. A few ways to this include:

• Regularly interacting with accounts related to your personal interests and hobbies
• Muting accounts and words that could potentially stress you out (see below on Twitter)
• Be selective about who you follow to reduce negativity in your feed

3. Consider occasional social media breaks

Fact: more and more teens report taking voluntary breaks from social media. Week-long breaks are surprisingly common.

The concept of “digital detoxing” is all the rage right now. That doesn’t mean you have to destroy your phone and live in a cabin to “unplug,” though.

How long you take your break to go is up to you. We recommend thinking of breaks as a healthy challenge. Start with a day or two and then assess from there. You might be surprised by what happens when you free up your time.

4. Prioritize activities that limit screen time

Having hobbies that don’t involve social media or screen time is always a plus.

And despite popular belief, Netflix is not a hobby.

Try to keep your hands and brain busy. Whether that means cooking, crafting or working out is up to you. It never hurts to go outside of your comfort zone.

How do you manage social media and mental health?

Finding a healthy balance between your social presence and your well-being isn’t always easy. The tips above can be a solid starting point.

We love all things social, sure. Of course, your mental health should always come first. This is especially true for professionals in the field.

And if you want to curate a positive presence, consider how Sprout Social’s social media publishing features can help automate your tasks and free up your time.

The post Social media and mental health: how to find a healthy balance appeared first on Sprout Social.

And that’s why 59% of marketers plan to up their investment in Instagram this year.

But if you’re not thrilled with your Instagram growth and engagement, you’re not alone.

Competition on the platform is fierce as more and more brands get on board. Thing is, taking steps to grow your audience is absolutely worth it. That’s because the bigger your audience, the more opportunities to delight your customers.

Ready to tweak your presence to attract authentic and organic Instagram followers? This post breaks down how to make it happen.

10 ways to increase Instagram followers

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, this post is about building an organic following.

And yes, the distinction matters!

Some brands want to take shortcuts when it comes to trying to get more Instagram followers. We don’t pretend that pay-for-play sites exist.

That said, these services aren’t worth it for brands long-term. The Instagram algorithm weeds out low-quality accounts and phony engagement from paid bots.

But we’ll bite: there’s definitely some legwork involved in growing your audience authentically.

Doing so it worth totally worth it, though. Below are our ten best tips for getting more Instagram followers the right way.

1. Optimize your Instagram account

Before you worry about how to get followers, consider how your Instagram account is set up first.

Ask yourself: does your profile “look the part?” For starters, consider your:

• Your Instagram bio (including your slogan, tagline and/or a branded hashtag)
• Your profile picture
• Your bio link (and where it points to)

These details define your brand identity on Instagram. More importantly, they impact your account’s discoverability. Building a follower-friendly account means:

• Having a search-friendly username. Stick to either your brand name or whatever’s closest to your existing social handles. If your name is too long, shorten it to a variation your audience would recognize (ex: Cold Stone Creamery’s account is @coldstone).
• Making your profile picture professional. An appropriately-sized logo is ideal. Any text in your profile picture should be legible on a smartphone screen.
• Minding where you point your bio link. This is crucial for turning Instagram followers into meaningful traffic or customers. It’s your only way to funnel social traffic to your site and promotions.

Linking to your homepage is fine but not always ideal. To encourage more meaningful interactions, a social landing page that points to multiple links can help.

This gives your audience total control of how they engage your business next. That means a better experience for your followers.

The best way to optimize your account is to follow a proven Instagram marketing strategy. Download our free guide to get started.

2. Keep a consistent content calendar

Momentum matters on Instagram. In other words, you likely won’t get followers on Instagram if you post at random.

Creating content and providing value is what builds your audience. Doing so consistently is what helps you keep them. Don’t let your Instagram account gather cobwebs.

That’s why sticking to a regular posting schedule is crucial.  In terms of when and how much to post, you don’t have to stick to a set-in-stone number. Most brands post daily or near daily. This tracks our own research on how often to post as well.

For reference, below is a breakdown of the best times to post to Instagram.  “Optimal” engagement is during the mid-to-late morning and early afternoons during the week.

If you’re worried about your posts not getting seen enough, we get it. Consider how features like Stories can get more eyes on your content if it wasn’t seen the first time.

3. Schedule Instagram posts in advance

There’s no denying that brands are at the mercy of the Instagram algorithm for reach. Still, posting at the right times can still give your posts more visibility. Anything you can do to maximize engagement is a plus.

This speaks to the value of scheduling Instagram content. With Sprout’s newest tools, brands can schedule Stories, Carousels, Reels and Posts.

Scheduling content in advance ensures control and organization. Instagram scheduling tools ultimately help you hit that cadence we mentioned earlier. The ability to crosspost content from other networks helps here, too.

You can also use Sprout’s ViralPost feature to nail down your timing, too. Our platform analyzes your engagement history and identifies the best times to post.

Perfect your Instagram content plan with Sprout Social

In addition to scheduling a complete picture of your Instagram content calendar, Sprout offers even more features to perfect your brand’s feed.

Share IG-approved visuals with your team using our Asset Library, or test out our grid preview feature to make sure every aspect of your presence is true to your brand style.

Get a hands-on look at these features and more with a 30-day free trial of Sprout.

4. Engage with customers, brand advocates and influencers

Figuring out how to get more Instagram followers means engaging your audience.

And one of the best ways to do that is through responding to and republishing their posts.

Enter the power of user-generated content. UGC campaigns build social proof by showing followers you’re invested in them. For example, Drunk Elephant regularly regrams their followers’ posts. They gather content with their #BareWithUs and #DrunkBreak hashtags.

Partnering with influencers with an established following is another way to grow your own audience. Content creators can get your brand in front of your target audience and build ongoing awareness for your products.

5. Avoid fake Instagram followers

There’s a big difference between fake and legitimate followers on Instagram.

We get it, too. For the sake of quick growth, it might be tempting to purchase followers.

But the drawbacks outweigh the benefits 100%. Why? Because fake Instagram followers…

• Confuse your potential organic followers. An inactive, low-engagement account with a big following is suspicious. This can be a turn-off for fans that’d otherwise follow you and engage.
• Provide no monetary value to your business. Think about it. Your bot followers can’t buy your stuff, can they? 
• Generate no buzz: If you have 10,000 fake followers, how many are going to engage with your posts? Does it really even matter if your posts are brimming with spam comments?

For example, Lush Cosmetics takes the time to answer questions and engage followers all the time. This results in customers regularly returning to share shout-outs and positive comments.

6. Showcase your Instagram everywhere you can

Don’t be shy about promoting your Instagram if more followers are your goal.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to promoting your ‘gram, either. Here are a few ideas:

• Add social media icons to your website and marketing emails. Social media icons make it easier for people to find your business and help you connect with customers.
• Feature an Instagram feed on your homepage or product pages. Many ecommerce brands have dedicated UGC feeds on-site (see below).
• Reshare Instagram-specific content or announcements on other social channels. For example, you could talk about an upcoming IG Live via TikTok or Facebook.

7. Post content that followers actually want to see

Easier said than done, we know.

Filters. Captions. Content types. Post times. That doesn’t even scratch the surface.

There are so many variables to consider, right? It doesn’t help that Instagram’s algorithm is fickle. What works for one brand might not work for the next in terms of format and timing.

For example, some brands swear by Carousels. Others are all-in on Reels. Both approaches can work. You’ll quickly find on Instagram that some content performs better than others. This is why testing is so important.

Instagram’s native analytics are surprisingly powerful. That said, investing in Instagram analytics tools will take things to the next level.

For example, Sprout makes it easy to benchmark and analyze Instagram content across accounts. Rather than second-guess what’s working and what’s not, our reporting spells it out for you.

Be confident in your content strategy by analyzing those variables we mentioned earlier.

And if you’re unsure where to start, try analyzing your competitors. A staggering 90% of brands say that social media data helps them keep up with competing social accounts.

You obviously shouldn’t copycat your competitors. That said, you can take notes on what they’re doing or posting that drives engagement.  Sprout’s Instagram Competitors report can provide a breakdown of what’s working in your industry. A little competitive research can go a long way.

Oh, and keep your ear to the ground with new Instagram trends. That way you won’t miss out on platform-wide opportunities to hop on trending content formats.

For example, Reels are popping off right now. Our data shows that 66% of consumers want to see more short-form videos from brands. In terms of trends, Reels should be on your radar.

8. Make meaningful conversation with your audience

Food for thought: 60% of marketers use Instagram as a service channel.

The platform is perfect for going back and forth with followers. Likewise, many popular post ideas center around asking questions and engaging in a dialogue for a reason.

Off-the-cuff questions, shipping concerns or praise for products are all fair game from followers. Check out how Cometeer responds to all of the above on their Instagram posts:

Being supportive and responding promptly shows people that you care.

You’d be surprised at how your Instagram followers increase once you start acting more personable. Our Index research shows that 89% of consumers will buy from a brand after following them on social. Every interaction counts.

Again, try to respond to as many questions or comments as possible. Doing so could make or break someone becoming a long-term follower or a customer.

9. Find hashtags where your followers hang out

Instagram hashtags have been a staple of the platform, like, forever.

That said, they don’t hold as much weight as they used to.

Dumping hashtags into your posts isn’t going to net you any new followers. Especially when there’s so much noise on the platform.

Be proactive by focusing on industry-specific hashtags relevant to your customers. For example, Lashify regularly posts content to the #LashEducation hashtag. Tags are less general and competitive than #beauty. Becoming more visible within these types of tags is meaningful for brands in the right niche.

Understanding how your hashtags perform on Instagram is critical. With Sprout Social’s hashtag analytics tools, you have direct access to in-depth performance and usage data. Figuring out which hashtags to use is just a few taps away.

10. Take steps to delight your Instagram followers

When you make your Instagram followers happy, you’ll see the payoff in audience growth. The best Instagram accounts have fans and communities (hint: not just followers).

The tips below are the building blocks for a follower-friendly account. Put them into practice in a way that aligns with your brand voice and values. Avoid coming across as needy,  solesy sales-driven or robotic at all costs.

So much of how to get Instagram followers for free is about creating an authentic community. For many accounts, this means building customer relationships. Content that highlights your personality and the humans behind your brand is a plus. This includes:

• Inspirational content
• Humorous content
• Re-sharing UGC with unique captions
• Storytelling posts
• Behind-the-scenes photos and videos
• Posts that raise awareness for social causes

How to get more Instagram followers (the wrong way!)

Disclaimer: Sprout Social does not endorse purchasing Instagram followers. We don’t recommend services that sell followings or “Likes.” 

As the social space becomes more crowded and competitive, brands are willing to take risks for the sake of instant results.

We’ll say it again: brands shouldn’t buy Instagram followers. Nobody should!

Why you shouldn’t buy followers on Instagram

Here are some reasons why buying followers to grow your account is a serious mistake.

Your real followers know what fake followers look like

Social consumers are getting savvier. Privacy concerns and social scammers have made people hyper-aware of weird activity. In short, people today are spam-detectors.

A sudden follower spike is a red flag. Not to mention having bots stink up your account with endless spam followers. This all damages your reputation and keeps you from growing an authentic Instagram following.

Fake followers bring nothing to the table

You’re probably worried about your Instagram metrics and understandably so.

That said, your follower count doesn’t mean much if your “followers” don’t drive engagement. You might look “bigger” at a glance but who cares? Consider how your engagement rate on the platform will suffer if your follower count is inflated.

If nothing else, buying Instagram followers violates TOS

No surprises here.

Consider how Meta has taken direct action against buying engagement in the past. They’ve gone as far as to shut down companies that sell likes. That’s because this practice violates the platform’s terms of service:

Help us stay spam-free by not artificially collecting likes, followers, or shares, posting repetitive comments or content, or repeatedly contacting people for commercial purposes without their consent.

How are you growing your Instagram following?

Listen: getting more followers on Instagram isn’t going to happen by accident.

And despite what you might have heard, there’s no silver bullet solution for making it happen.

The tips above can help you build the foundation for an organic following that actually engages with you. Putting these tips into action is so much easier with a powerful publishing and analytics tool like Sprout.

Want to see our suite of tools in action? Start a free trial today and see for yourself!

The post Get more Instagram followers with these 10 tips to grow your real audience appeared first on Sprout Social.

That’s because so much political discourse happens on platforms like Twitter. Over half of the US consumes political news via social.

Debates. Fundraising and fact-checking. News and results.

With social media serving as the modern-day public forum, all of the above are just a tap away for voters.

That’s why the stakes are high for candidates on social media. Rather than wait for stories to publish, politicians can break their own news in real time.

The challenge? Navigating social media and politics is tricky if you’re responsible for managing a public account. Below we break down how candidates can step up their social game.

How social media has transformed political campaigns

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of our tips, let’s address a bigger question:

Why is social media such a staple of politics in the first place?

Social media might not be new to the public at large. However, incorporating social media in political campaigns didn’t see significance until the 2008 United States presidential elections with then- candidate Barack Obama. With the power of social networking, political candidates reach wider audiences than traditional media and in real time.

As a result, a lot has changed in social media and politics since the 2020 US presidential election. Let’s look at the specifics below.

More people get their news from social platforms

There’s no shortage of news sources sending stories directly to our smartphones.

According to 2022 data from Pew, the top social networks for news are Twitter (53%), Facebook (44%) and Reddit (37%). Surprisingly, TikTok (33%) isn’t too far behind these sources.

Transparency and trust versus mainstream media

Data from Gallup says 36% of citizens in the US have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in mainstream news sources. This includes cable news and print media. Only 11% of self-described Republicans (and 31% of independents) claim to trust the media.

To say that citizens have trust issues when it comes to traditional media would be an understatement.

Social media is also blurring the lines of what’s considered a “trustworthy” new source. Pew data says that adults under 30 trust news from social media about as much as traditional outlets.

Social media is far from a perfect news source.

Still, the benefit of real-time fact-checking is a big plus for social-savvy consumers. Social platforms also provide politicians with a direct line to the public.

That means the value of social media transparency carries over to candidates. After all, they’re able to speak to voters in their own words and on their own terms.

Consider also the massive reach of social media versus mainstream sources. With shrinking TV audiences, social is the biggest show in town for politicians.

More opportunities for fundraising

The explosion of political advertising on social media since 2020 is well-documented.

But the degree to which campaigns are spending now is truly night and day.
Facebook remains a massive force for fundraising and political ads. The Facebook Ad Library lets anyone see to see how much any given campaign is spending. And it’s a lot.

In fact, $3.6 billion has been spent on political and social issue ads since May 2018.

Consider that the top Senate fundraisers also have engaged and active social teams.

As a result, those candidates can translate their presence into serious campaign cash.

10 tips for running a political campaign on social media

Below we’ve broken down key best practices of social media for political campaigns. From figuring out your content strategy to dealing with trolls, we’ve got you covered.

1. Engage the public via live content

Traditional newscasts aren’t going anywhere quite yet.

That said, social media video lets politicians broadcast their own news and chat with constituents.

For example, many politicians regularly stream on Facebook and Instagram. Rather than just talk at voters, live video encourages meaningful and personable dialogue.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s IG Live streams rack up massive engagement. For reference, this June 2022 IG Live on the state of Roe v. Wade earned over a million views:

Social video is powerful for politicians addressing local issues not covered by bigger outlets. This includes local ordinances and disaster relief.

2. Fact-check your content prior to publishing

Social media represents a massive news source for voters. Still, unchecked platforms can be a breeding ground for misinformation.

MIT research says that falsehoods are 70% more likely to be Retweeted than the truth. A staggering 38% of people have admitted to accidentally sharing misinformation themselves.

Yikes.

Walking back comments because you didn’t take the time to fact-check them is a bad look. Also, False claims and misinformation are difficult to contain once they’ve been made.

Our advice? Make sure to put together some sort of approval process for your account. Always double-check your sources and wording before making claims that could be twisted.

If you use a platform like Sprout, take advantage of publishing features to keep the above in check.

Social media and politics aren’t a free-for-all. For example, did you know that Presidential Tweets are considered public record? There are real-world consequences that go along with a politician’s social presence.

3. Don’t count out “younger” social media platforms

Twitter and Facebook are the go-to platforms for political accounts.

And based on social media demographics and how age groups vote, this makes perfect sense.

Of course, don’t count out Millennials and Gen Z. Both represent growing voter bases interested in activism. As a result, we’re seeing more politicians investing in Instagram and TikTok.

The fact that 33% of citizens consume news and political content on TikTok is also telling. Notably, Tim Ryan has managed to earn 33,000+ followers with his self-aware TikTok presence. Meanwhile, President Biden is inviting influencers to the White House in a push to reach younger voters.

There is no “single” platform when it comes to social media and politics. Demographics matter and the largest voting blocs are active on Facebook and Twitter.

4. Put your fundraising efforts front-and-center

Running an effective social media political campaign is about much more than “Likes.”

We won’t get into the anatomy of a perfect political ad on Facebook. Just note that fundraising is central to social media and politics.

Beyond running Facebook ads, requesting donations via secure links is likewise fair game. Many candidates put donation links in their social bios or as a dedicated “pinned” post.

Of course, don’t use social media as a place to spam donation messages. Instead, weave them into your content strategy as needed alongside your updates.

5. Learn how to deal with trolls

It’s common to deal with burnout as a social media manager.

And if you’re managing social media for political campaigns, you know this all too well.

Trolling and harassment. Comment spam. Mass reporting.

Unfortunately, this all comes with the territory of social media and politics.

Beyond developing a thick skin,  the best advice we can offer is to not feed the trolls. Try to emphasize a sense of community in the comments and don’t encourage needless fighting.

Just keep in mind that public officials can’t block people on Facebook. There’s plenty of debate over whether or not doing so is legal or ethical as social media is seen as a public forum.

Leave it to supporters and community members to report inappropriate posts. Try to push more intense disagreements into your DMs when appropriate. Whatever you do, be civil.

6. Recognize that not everybody is interested in politics

Comparing social media and politics to that of a business or brand is apples and oranges.

Sure, your goal is to grow your follower account and increase the exposure of your campaign.

But as noted in our guide to social media and government, political accounts are seen as the most “annoying” by the public at large.

Some people go out of their way to block and avoid political discussions via social media. The “Muted words” function on Twitter is handy for this.

Attracting followers and support might seem like an uphill battle at times. Focus on your goals and engage with accounts relevant to your cause.

7. Consistently ask (and answer) questions

Asking questions is a proven way to boost engagement on social media.

Q&As are the bread and butter of political accounts. Posing topical questions to your follower is a simple way to encourage a bit of back-and-forth. Likewise, it’s a way to show that you’re willing to listen to your constituents.

Using Instagram Stories, you can vet questions privately and post answers to followers publicly. Make a point to respond to comments when appropriate. This allows you to publish more thoughtful responses. Publishing Stories as highlights also gives voters something to reference in the future.

8. Earn engagement with visual content versus just text-based posts

Visual content such as videos and infographics are among the most-shared social posts. This rings true across pretty much every platform.

If you’re making an important announcement, consider how you can put together a visual to match up with it. Infographics are particularly popular among politicians.

Bite-sized videos also have viral potential, especially on Twitter or TikTok. For reference, Katie Porter’s short-form videos regularly pop off and earn huge engagement.

Don’t worry about investing a ton of time and energy into editing if you’re looking to get on board with video, by the way. Off-the-cuff cell phone footage has become a staple of political social media, too.

9. Find time for positive, non-partisan posts

It’s no secret that tensions are high among parties. Data says political polarization is reaching a fever pitch.

Not everything has to be partisan, though. Note what we said earlier about the fact that not everyone wants to hear about politics. This might also be the case for people that do follow you.

A positive story “just because” can be a much-needed break from fierce debates. Consider some types of content for followers regardless of party affiliation. Uplifting and local stories are always a plus.

Younger, social-savvy politicians likewise can capitalize on memes and humor to boost their posts.

10. Make a point to post consistently

With so many political campaign strategies made possible by social media, there’s a lot of content to juggle.

Donation requests. Upcoming events and elections. Legislation updates.

And that doesn’t even include real-time news that happens from day to day.

Given how quickly the world of politics evolves, it’s important to have your most important updates and content organized and queued up. By reviewing the best times and how often to post on social media, you can maximize your account’s reach and get in front of more voters on the regular.

That’s where Sprout Social’s publishing tools can come in handy. Allowing you to schedule and publish content across multiple platforms, you don’t have to second-guess if a crucial update was sent out to voters.

Ready to take on the world of social media and politics?

There’s a lot that goes into any social media political campaign.

Understanding what to post and how to wrangle your responses will empower you to build support and a sense of community. Doing so matters for politicians.

And if you want help with doing exactly that, we encourage you to check out our social media marketing strategy guide. Given how busy political accounts are, having more help is always a bonus!

The post Social media and politics: why it matters + 10 tips for campaigns appeared first on Sprout Social.

Total global e-commerce retail sales will reach $6.1 trillion in 2023. So if you’re looking at ways to expand your revenue, you might want to consider international marketing.

However, tapping into a foreign market isn’t as easy as flipping a switch.

In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about international marketing and share some global marketing strategies.

• • What is international marketing
  • Benefits of international marketing
  • International marketing strategies to consider
  • Tips for making a global marketing push
  • Using social media for international marketing

What is international marketing

International marketing is the process of marketing your products or services to an audience beyond your own country’s borders. Also known as global marketing, international marketing requires a lot more research and planning than domestic marketing.

What are the benefits of international marketing

The main benefit of international marketing is that it helps you reach potential customers around the world. You can use international marketing to raise global awareness of your brand or target customers in specific countries.

When you have customers in multiple countries, your revenue stream isn’t dependent solely on economic and buying trends in your home country.

International marketing strategies to consider

Here are a few international marketing strategies to consider. Keep in mind that entering a foreign market looks totally different from business to business. 

Exporting

Exporting your product directly to customers abroad allows you to enter a new market without totally transforming the way you do business. Exporting may be a good approach if you can handle the marketing and shipping costs.

Franchising

Similar to fast food or retail franchise, this concept is simple: Someone else pays for the opportunity to sell your product locally or on your behalf. You determine the franchising rules, but international franchising also requires you to create agreements that conform to laws in the foreign location.

Licensing

Similar to franchising, licensing allows a business partner to sell your intellectual property or brand in exchange for a fee.

Piggybacking

Through piggybacking, you essentially allow a larger, non-competing business to sell your product as part of their inventory. Think of this almost as a form of channel sales, but it requires a lot of trust in how your products will be marketed abroad.

Joint ventures

A joint venture represents a business partnership where two companies come together to create a unique product or service. Although this requires the most risk of the options above, it also has great potential for returns (both of which are shared by the parties involved).

Tips for making a global marketing push

International marketing success requires doing your homework.

Below are three tips for any brand seriously considering an international marketing campaign.

1. Target territories with a low barrier to entry

The idea of expanding your business is equal parts exciting and daunting.

To help you hone in on where to expand, start by exploring territories that would require you to jump through fewer hoops.

Think of territories that meet the following characteristics:

• Little-to-no language barrier. It’s much easier for a US-based company to use near-identical messages and marketing materials for English-speaking audiences in the UK or Australia (see Topshop below).
• Close proximity. If you’re dealing with physical shipping, there’s obviously a geographic advantage of entering foreign markets that aren’t half the world away.
• Similar demographics. Ideally, your target audience both at home and abroad should be similar. This rings true when it comes to factors like gender, age and spending power.

2. Consider the cost and resources involved with expansion

Conventional wisdom says that entering foreign markets isn’t cheap.

Here are some costs to consider:

• Shipping
• Legal (think: registering your business in a new location, licensing, contracts, etc.)
• Foreign taxes
• Translation services (for international social media accounts, multilingual SEO, and so on)
• New employees (either digital or in-person, including consultants and contractors)
• Travel

This is why global expansion seems reserved for corporate giants and household names. The bigger your budget, the easier it is to expand.

But it really depends on your industry. It’s possible for a smaller retail business to offer international shipping or market to specific territories without creating microsites for those regions. Compare that to ecommerce giants like H&M that have a presence just about everywhere.

Some companies have an easier time entering international markets than others. Specifically, those that don’t have to worry about physical products.

Look at SaaS marketing as a prime example. Sprout Social’s Spanish site boasts similar creatives and messaging to our standard homepage.

3. Make your market research count

The importance of market research can’t be overstated when entering foreign markets.

For example, one study found that many western companies failed to expand into China due to a lack of strategic determination and patience.

In-depth research counts. Your brand should think of these five things when researching a new territory to enter:

• Economy: Are they on the brink of recession? Or have they been experiencing a recent boom?
• Demographics: Do their consumers mirror your own?
• Culture: Is the country progressive, conservative, or somewhere in-between? Are there any cultural differences that conflict with your brand’s values?
• Regulations: Are there any legal barriers to consider for doing business?
• Costs: Will it be cheaper or more expensive to do business abroad? Would the costs be similar to doing business at home?

As a side note, don’t forget to conduct a competitive analysis before potential expansion.

Remember: Just because your direct competitors aren’t involved in a particular market doesn’t mean that market is a poor fit for your organization.

How to use social media for international marketing

Social media is a good starting point for an international marketing strategy considering the nearly 4 billion social media users around the globe.

Let’s take a look at some key considerations for social media for international marketing.

Determine if you need multiple brand accounts

While it might be tempting to create new accounts for each foreign market you want to target, managing all of those accounts takes a lot of time. That’s why it’s typically reserved for bigger brands like Levi’s.

We recommend sticking with a single, global account and expanding when demand warrants it.

For example, if you find that your primary account is being bombarded with service requests or questions from abroad, it might be time to create a supplementary social presence.

Discover opportunities to cross-post and diversify your content strategy

Entering foreign markets means new creative opportunities when it comes to your social content strategy.

For example, you might define separate marketing messages and materials depending on your audience’s location.

Brands like Netflix have dedicated Twitter accounts based on geography, some of which look starkly different from their main account.

That said, there might be instances where you’d rather cross-post and double-dip your social media content regardless of geography. Using Sprout Social’s scheduling tools, you can manage all of your social assets and schedule posts appropriately to ensure that you don’t spread yourself thin.

Craft campaigns that speak your audience’s language

Mind both your tone and language when speaking to customers abroad. Using the wrong terminology or “Americanized” spelling could be offputting for a foreign audience. For example, what people in the US call a “koozie,” Australians call a “stubby holder.” It’s the same product (and has the same insulating effects on your canned beverage), but the terminology is totally different.

Understand your audience’s culture and customs

Companies today should be culturally sensitive. Failure to do so could make your brand seem out of touch, and you could miss out on opportunities to connect with your customers.

Familiarizing yourself with your target market’s culture is crucial. Arsenal Football Club demonstrates cultural awareness by acknowledging an international holiday.

Failure to understand cultures and customs may cause you to miss out on opportunities to connect with your customers.

Double-check regulations

Marketing that works in your country may not work as well abroad due to varying laws and regulations.

The EU’s GDPR is a shining example of how marketers have to adapt based on where they’re doing business. GDPR has prompted international marketers to rethink how they collect and use EU customer data.

Running afoul of these data privacy regulations can be costly, so review them if you’re planning to market to anyone in the EU.

Understand your costs

Factors such as cost-per-click and how much Facebook ads cost vary greatly from the United States to, say, Indonesia or India. When in doubt about these costs, consult others who’ve actually run international campaigns, or consider running a test campaign yourself.

Mind the timing of your posts

Oh, and don’t forget about time zones!

As evidenced by our research on the best times to post on social media, engagement rates are highly dependent on timing.

This is where a tool like Sprout comes in handy.

Not only does Sprout allow you to queue up your posts in advance so you always hit those optimal publishing times, but you can also automatically detect when your audience is most engaged and publish during those times.

Does international marketing make sense for your business?

Businesses rightfully want to grow their audiences ASAP.

Sometimes entering a foreign market is the perfect way to do so.

Of course, you can’t just expand your business on a whim. By conducting thorough research, you can better set yourself up for success and decide whether international marketing actually makes sense.

If you’re still on the fence, check out our complete guide on social media marketing for even more tips to help you get started.

The post International marketing: The complete guide to going global appeared first on Sprout Social.

Because the network is regularly rolling out updates to help you own your data.

And crunching those numbers should be a top priority for brands and marketers alike.

In fact, a staggering 60% of marketers are upping their investment in Instagram in 2022.

Sales. Customer service. Community-building. The list goes on and on when it comes to activities and opportunities to engage customers.

But so many tasks related to Instagram for business, there are countless metrics to track.

Overwhelmed by your data? Don’t know to start with performance tracking? This deep dive into Instagram analytics will teach you everything you need to know.

• Why are Instagram analytics important
• How to access Instagram analytics
• The Instagram insights you should track
• How to view Instagram analytics using Sprout
• Instagram analytics tools to use

Why are Instagram analytics important

Hey, fair question.

The idea of being “data-driven” is all the rage in marketing right now, isn’t it?

Here’s the catch, though: marketers should make decisions based on actual numbers versus anecdotes alone.

This speaks to the importance of wrangling your IG analytics. That’s because owning your data empowers you to:

• Recreate top-performing content based on what your audience wants. Consider the challenges of growing competition and an ever-so-fickle Instagram algorithm. Understanding what really resonates with your audience starts with your analytics.
• Spot growth trends (or downturns). This applies to your content strategy, engagement and reach. For example, are Reels outperforming your posts? Is your follower growth consistent? What about your publishing frequency? Your numbers can clue you in on how to approach your account.
• Explain your account growth and performance to teammates, managers and stakeholders. Like it or not, marketers today are expected to justify their decisions with hard numbers. Thankfully, Instagram

How to access your Instagram analytics

Now, onto the good stuff.

Let’s say you’re totally new to monitoring your metrics. Below is a snapshot of how to check Instagram analytics (aka “Account Insights”) for the first time:

• Make sure you set up a business profile (or creator account) if you haven’t already.
• From your profile, tap ≡ in the top right corner.
• Then, tap select “Get Insights,” tap through and confirm.

And boom!

Gone through this process before? Simply tap “Insights” from your profile if you’ve set up Instagram analytics already. From here, you can access your audience overview, content summary, and top-performing posts.

This provides a big-picture understanding of your IG presence and growth. That said, it’s only a taste of what you can glean from your numbers.

Your Instagram audience insights are a treasure trove of data to help you boost your engagement and grow your account. Granted you know what to look for.

The Instagram insights you should track

The dozens of dashboards in front of you might seem a bit intimidating.

Don’t panic, though! Now that you know how to access your metrics, let’s walk through what they mean.

From big-picture breakdowns to granular post performance, here’s a summary of what you can see via Insights.

Audience insights and analytics

Again, Instagram’s native analytics are surprisingly powerful when it comes to audience insights. The network highlights valuable customer data including:

• Audience demographics (age, gender, location)
• Follower growth over time
• Audience engagements and interactions over time
• % of engagements from followers versus non-followers

These data points highlight whether you’re getting in front of your target audience via Instagram or not.

Think of your Insights Overview as a pulse check for your Instagram performance. Here you can see whether your account’s reach is growing and which posts are contributing to that reach. You can also see your top-performing post formats based on visibility.

Post insights and analytics

“What’s working and what isn’t when it comes to our Instagram content?”

Answering this question requires you to dig into your content interactions and individual post data. Thankfully, Instagram makes it a cinch to do both.

Alongside specific post performance data, you can spot big-picture trends for your account. This includes:

• Top-performing content formats
• The best times to post on Instagram (based on actual audience behavior)
• Top-performing posts for a particular time period
• Individual post impressions, engagement and reach

And as an added bonus, Instagram allows you to filter your search results by metric.

Maybe you’re purely concerned with reach. Perhaps comments and interactions are your priority for community-building. Either way, you can track these metrics and then some.

A key benefit of understanding Instagram analytics is making data-backed decisions. For example, there’s plenty of anecdotal data about Reels and Carousels outperforming each other. That said, your results may vary based on your industry, audience and content strategy.

The takeaway? You have to experiment and see for yourself. With a better handle on your analytics, you can run those experiments with a sense of confidence.

Stories insights and analytics

While Reels are dominating at the moment, Stories remain one of Instagram’s staple features.

And while Stories themselves do disappear, the data attached to them doesn’t.

Optimizing your Stories strategy might require some trial-and-error. That’s where your analytics can be a huge help, though. For example, your Stories insights can clue you in on:

• How many Stories to publish per week
• Whether timing has an impact on impressions and engagements
• Which content formats perform the best (think: Reels versus UGC versus slideshows)

Reels insights and analytics

Given that 20% of all Instagram activity happens on Reels, marketers can’t afford to ignore their video performance data. The insights offered up by Instagram analytics here are par for the course.

What’s most notable here is applying the “followers and non-followers” breakdown to Reels. This highlights whether your videos are getting picked up the algorithm or served via the Explore Page.

IG Live insights and analytics

Given the legwork required to pull off a successful Instagram Live, assessing performance is a must-do after the fact.

Beyond the metrics you’d expect for video content, the network shares:

• Peak concurrent views
• # of Live interactions (comments and shares)
• # of accounts reached during the broadcast

IG ad analytics

The stakes are high for performance data related to your Instagram advertising campaigns.

The platform provides multiple ways to check Instagram ad analytics including Ads Manager. From the “Breakdown” menu in Ads Manager, you can see:

• Your campaign performance overview
• Ad audience demographics
• Delivery data
• Amount spent on the campaign
• Cost per result

Of course, there are also ways to see your ad analytics beyond Instagram itself. Here’s a peek of what paid performance looks like in Sprout Social:

How to view Instagram analytics in Sprout Social

Instagram’s native analytics features are nothing to scoff at.

As proven by the breakdowns above, the network’s data is surprisingly granular. It’s easy to access, too.

That said, the network doesn’t do too much hand-holding in terms of what to do with your data. There are likewise a few missing features and functions versus a platform like Sprout Social.

Sprout empowers brands to assess their Instagram analytics alongside their entire social presence. This includes networks like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and TikTok. The ability to monitor data and manage assets for all of these platforms in one place is a huge plus.

Not only does doing so save serious time but also highlights which posts and networks are performing best. Consolidated analytics and cross-posting can be a game-changer for busy brands. That’s because you don’t have to bounce between platforms.

Also, Sprout encourages brands to take action based on their analytics.

Take a look at our platform’s Competitor’s Report below. This report highlights your share of voice alongside hashtag performance. These insights offer specific, actionable ways to fine-tune your content strategy and positioning.

Instagram analytics tools to use

There’s no shortage of Instagram analytics tools out there.

And while we do give props to IG’s native features, we obviously can’t recommend Sprout enough.

For good reason, though! The fact that Sprout gives you a holistic view of your social media data and marketing presence is a major bonus. Not to mention the ability to publish and cross-post content and messages, too.

Sprout’s suite of comprehensive Instagram Listening features go above what Instagram’s native tool provides. Our platform lets brands actively track competitors, key terms, sentiment and so much more.

The dashboards in Sprout are seamless and easy to navigate, too. You can answer your teammates’ most important questions at a glance. This includes:

• Which posts have the most business impact?
• What’s our share of voice (and which Instagram hashtags are we dominating)?
• Which content formats are driving the most audience engagement?

Is it time to level up from native Instagram analytics?

If you want to grow your presence faster, it’s time to get knee-deep in your Instagram data.

While you can learn a ton from native analytics, a tool like Sprout can uncover more insights you can translate into action. Our platform provides a collaborative, all-in-one solution for scaling your social media presence.

Want to see firsthand how the platform can boost your brand’s Instagram efforts? We invite you to test-drive Sprout Social today to see for yourself!

The post Instagram analytics: How to analyze and use your data appeared first on Sprout Social.