Like it or not, size does sometimes matter. There are critical masses where a certain number of "likes" or followers or readers greatly increases the effectiveness of your social media strategies. Five thousand is frequently mentioned as a goal, a number at which great and exciting things begin to happen. Sounds wonderful, 5000 people reading your blog or following you on Twitter. Just imagine that many people, some from distant countries, paying attention to your non-profit or small business. The potentials seem endless, the benefits countless. Then reality hits in as you remember that you currently have 350 Facebook "likes" and no real clue how to get to 351, much less 5000. What to do?
First, take a deep breath and remember that social media is about relationships not numbers (and that includes the number of dollars donated or earned via social media). If you start chasing a number, be it 5000, 10,000 or 351, you run a high risk of losing your way and undermining the effectiveness of your social media strategy. Yes, you want and need to grow and having a goal in mind is important. Still, remember that you are using social media to meet the needs of your donors and clients by building relationships with them. That should always be your first and highest priority.
Second, not all 5000 "likes" are of equal value. When you first start using social media it is normal to reach out to friends and family to build up your base. More often than not these folks will follow you out of caring and loyalty to you as a person more than passion for your cause or interest in your product. As you grow it is critical that you do so by increasing the number of people who fall within your target audience. Your cousin may not be highly motivated to tell his or her friends and coworkers about your organization, but someone who truly cares about what you do and how you do it will spread the word. And that is where real growth happens.
Third, set realistic goals for growth and celebrate reaching those milestones with your online community. If you have 150 followers on Twitter try to reach 200 within the next 60 days. While this may sound modest don't forget that you just increased your base by 33% in 2 months. That is a pretty good growth rate and one worth sharing with your community. Think about a way to reward your current followers for their help in reaching your new goal. A free something for the person who sends out the most requests to their Facebook friends to "like" you page. A gift certificate for the one who checked in the most times at your business using Foursquare. Or, an invitation to come to your organization in person for a "Thank You" party to all of your subscribers when you reach your goal. Whatever you do make sure to include your community. You did not do it without them and you did do it for them.
Questions? Need some more ideas about growing your social media base? Visit me at www.rubateconsutling.com or e-mail me at roger@rubateconsulting.com.
©2012 Roger Burns-Watson, All Rights Reserved
