12 proven social media growth hacks for your business!

Repurposing old content is a great way to breathe new life into your social media strategy. By converting old blog posts, videos, or podcasts into social media-friendly formats, you can reach new audiences, revive old content, and boost engagement. Here are some practical ways to repurpose your old content:

• Turn blog posts into social media captions or graphics. Create visually appealing graphics using tools like Canva or Adobe Spark, and include a short excerpt or quote from your old blog post.
• Convert long-form content into bite-sized snippets. Break down long-form content like podcasts or webinars into shorter segments, and share them as individual posts on social media.
• Create infographics or data visualizations. Turn statistics or data from your old content into visually appealing infographics or data visualizations that are easy to consume on social media.
• Create social media stories. Use Instagram or Facebook stories to create short, engaging snippets from your old content, and add interactive features like polls or quizzes.
• Create video content. Use your old content to create video content that can be shared on platforms like YouTube, Instagram Reels or TikTok.

James MacAonghus, VP of Research at AQUTE, shares, “Repurposing old content is a smart and efficient way to create a consistent stream of engaging content on social media. It also helps you get the most out of your existing content, and saves you time and resources in the process.” Remember, repurposing old content doesn't mean copying and pasting your content onto social media. Instead, it's about finding creative ways to package your existing content into new and engaging formats.

An AMA (Ask Me Anything) session is a great way to engage with your audience and showcase your expertise. This interactive format allows you to answer questions from your followers and provide valuable insights into your industry or niche.Here's how to host a successful AMA session:

• Choose the right platform. Decide which platform you want to use for your AMA session, such as Reddit, Twitter, or Instagram Live.
• Promote your session. Let your followers know about your upcoming AMA session in advance, and encourage them to submit their questions ahead of time.
• Prepare your answers. Take some time to prepare your answers to common questions in advance, so you're ready to provide thoughtful and informative responses during the session.
• Be authentic and honest. Don't be afraid to share personal stories or anecdotes that highlight your expertise and provide valuable insights to your followers.
• Follow up with your audience. After the AMA session, thank your audience for participating and offer to follow up with any additional questions or feedback they may have.

Dr. Scott Gray, Owner of Back in Motion, shares, “AMA sessions are a great way to build trust and credibility with your audience. You give valuable insights and answer questions, and establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry to build stronger relationships with your followers.” Hosting AMAs aren’t quick in getting you results, but they can pay off in the long run by helping you build stronger relationships with your audience.

Augmented reality (AR) filters are a fun and creative way to engage with your followers on social media. By creating unique and interactive filters, you can attract new audiences, boost engagement, and strengthen your brand identity. Here's how to use AR filters to grow your social media presence:

• Choose the right platform. Different social media platforms have different AR capabilities, so choose the one that best fits your goals and target audience. Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook all offer AR filters.
• Create a unique filter. Use tools like Spark AR Studio or Lens Studio to design and create your own AR filters that align with your brand identity and messaging.
• Promote your filter. Share your filter with your followers and encourage them to use it and share it with their friends. Use hashtags and user-generated content to increase visibility.
• Track engagement. Use social media analytics tools to track engagement and measure the impact of your AR filter on your social media presence.

“AR filters are a great way to showcase your creativity and provide a fun and interactive experience for your followers”, says Kenny Kline, President and Financial Lead, BarBend. “They can help you stand out from the crowd and attract new audiences, while also reinforcing your brand identity and messaging.” AR filters might require some design skills and creativity, but they can be a powerful tool for growing your social media presence and engaging with your audience in new and exciting ways.

• Understand your audience. Memes are most effective when they're relevant and relatable to your target audience. Spend some time getting to know your audience and their interests, so you can create memes that resonate with them.
• Stay on brand. While memes are meant to be humorous and lighthearted, they should still align with your brand identity and messaging. Make sure your memes don't go too far outside of your brand guidelines.
• Use trending topics. Keep an eye on current events and trending topics, so you can create memes that are timely and relevant to your audience.
• Share user-generated content. Encourage your followers to create and share their own memes related to your brand or industry. This can help increase engagement and foster a sense of community.

Jamie Irwin, Digital Marketing Expert at StemCellVet, shares, “Memes are a great way to show your brand's personality and connect with your audience in a fun and authentic way. They can help you stand out, get talked about, and get your message across with your followers and their friends.” Remember to use memes with caution, as they can sometimes be divisive or offensive.

Offering social media-exclusive promotions can be a great way to incentivize followers to engage with your brand on social media. Here's how to do it:

• Create a promotion that's exclusive to social media. This could be a discount code, free shipping, or a special offer that's only available to your social media followers.
• Promote the promotion on your social media channels. Make sure your followers know about the promotion by promoting it on your social media channels. Consider using eye-catching graphics or videos to make the promotion stand out.
• Encourage engagement. Ask your followers to share the promotion with their friends or tag a friend in the comments to increase engagement and reach.
• Track the results. Keep track of the metrics associated with the promotion, such as the number of redemptions or the amount of sales generated. Use this data to determine the success of the promotion and make adjustments for future promotions.

Alex Lopez, Founder & CEO at HeyOffer, shares, “Social media-exclusive promotions are a great way to reward your followers and encourage engagement. Make sure the promotion is relevant to your brand and audience, and promote it effectively to maximize its impact.” The key to a successful social media-exclusive promotion is to make it valuable to your followers and easy to redeem. Don’t just hold such promotions to grab their attention.

Conducting a social media audit can help you assess the effectiveness of your current social media strategy and identify areas for improvement. Here's how to conduct a social media audit:

• Assess your goals. Review your social media goals and make sure they align with your overall business objectives.
• Analyze your audience. Review your follower demographics and engagement data to ensure your content is resonating with your target audience.
• Evaluate your content. Review your recent social media posts and evaluate the effectiveness of your content in terms of engagement, reach, and conversions.
• Assess your competition. Analyze your competition's social media presence and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.
• Identify areas for improvement. Based on your analysis, identify areas where you can improve your social media strategy, such as posting frequency, content topics, or engagement tactics.

“Conducting a social media audit is essential for any business looking to improve their social media strategy”, says Jonathan Faccone, Managing Member & Founder of Halo Homebuyers. “Discover areas for improvement, and refine your social media strategy to drive better results.” But it’s not a one-time task. Only regularly reviewing your social media strategy can help you stay ahead of trends and changes in your audience's preferences.

User-generated content (UGC) is any content — images, videos, text, reviews, or anything else — created by the users or customers of a product or service. Leveraging UGC can help businesses grow their social media presence and increase engagement. Here are some ways to do that:

• Create a branded hashtag and encourage customers to use it when posting about your product or service on social media.
• Share UGC on your own social media accounts and give credit to the original creator. This shows that you value your customers' opinions and can help build brand loyalty.
• Run a UGC contest, asking customers to submit their own content related to your product or service. This can generate buzz and excitement around your brand.
• Use UGC in your social media ads. This can help make your ads feel more authentic and relatable to your target audience.

Jeoffrey Murray, Digital Marketing Expert at Solar Panel Installation, “User-generated content is a powerful way to build trust with your audience. When people see their peers using and enjoying your product or service, they're more likely to trust and engage with your brand. Plus, UGC is often more authentic and relatable than content created by brands themselves.”

Hosting a virtual event can be a great way to increase your social media presence and engage with your audience. Here are some tips for hosting a successful virtual event:

• Determine the purpose of your event: Are you launching a new product, celebrating an anniversary, or hosting a Q&A session?
• Choose the right platform: Decide which platform would be best suited for your event. For example, you could use Zoom, Google Meet, or Facebook Live.
• Promote your event on social media: Use your social media channels to promote your event and create buzz. Use hashtags, create graphics, and share sneak peeks to generate interest.
• Offer exclusive content: Consider offering exclusive content or giveaways for attendees. This can encourage people to attend and help create a sense of community.
• Practice, practice, practice: Practice your event ahead of time to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day of the event.
• Engage with your audience: Encourage your audience to ask questions, provide feedback, and share their experiences during the event.
• Follow up with attendees: After the event, follow up with attendees and thank them for participating. Consider sending a survey to gather feedback and suggestions for future events.

Hosting a virtual event can create a memorable experience for your audience. It can help you build a community, increase brand awareness, and establish yourself as an industry leader.

Creating a social media challenge can be an excellent way to increase engagement and reach a wider audience. Here are some tips to help you create a successful social media challenge:

• Make it relevant to your brand and audience.
• Keep it simple and easy to understand.
• Use a unique hashtag to make it easy to track.
• Consider partnering with other brands or influencers to expand your reach.
• Offer a prize or incentive to encourage participation.

Social media challenges can be an excellent way to increase brand awareness and engagement on social media. When done correctly, they can be a fun and interactive way for your audience to connect with your brand. Here are some examples of successful social media challenges:

• The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: This challenge went viral in 2014 and raised over $115 million for ALS research. Participants were challenged to dump a bucket of ice water over their heads and nominate others to do the same.
• The #InMyFeelingsChallenge: This challenge involved participants dancing to the song "In My Feelings" by Drake and sharing their videos on social media. The challenge was so popular that it sparked safety concerns and even led to a warning from the National Transportation Safety Board.
• The #10YearChallenge: This challenge involved users sharing a side-by-side comparison of a photo from 10 years ago and a current photo. It was a fun way for people to reflect on how they have changed over the years and quickly went viral. When creating a social media challenge, consider the potential impact on your audience and ensure that it aligns with your brand values.

Using micro-influencers is an effective way to expand your reach and promote your brand without breaking the bank. These are influencers with a smaller but more engaged following than traditional influencers. Here are some tips to effectively use micro-influencers:

• Identify micro-influencers in your niche by researching popular hashtags, checking out the followers of bigger influencers in your industry, or using influencer marketing platforms.
• Vet the micro-influencers before partnering with them to ensure that their content aligns with your brand values, and their engagement is genuine.
• Provide clear guidelines and expectations for the sponsored content to ensure that the influencer showcases your product or service in a positive and authentic way.
• Compensate the micro-influencers fairly. Micro-influencers often work on a smaller budget, but offering incentives such as product discounts or exclusive promotions can go a long way in building a relationship.

Micro-influencers are an excellent way to reach a highly engaged audience without paying for the massive audience reach of bigger influencers. They are more authentic, and their audience trusts them more. By partnering with micro-influencers, you can leverage their trust with their audience, increase your brand awareness, and drive more sales. And these collaborations can lead to long-term relationships, allowing you to work with the same influencer for multiple campaigns.

Messenger bots are a valuable tool for businesses to interact with their customers and automate certain tasks. By using messenger bots, companies can save time and resources while still providing quick and efficient customer service. Here are some tips for utilizing messenger bots effectively:

• Identify common customer inquiries: Determine the most frequently asked questions and create automated responses for those inquiries.
• Provide personalized responses: Messenger bots can be programmed to use a customer’s name and other personal information, creating a more personalized experience.
• Offer relevant recommendations: Use messenger bots to suggest products or services based on a customer’s purchase history or browsing behavior.
• Use bots to automate tasks: Messenger bots can be programmed to perform a variety of tasks such as scheduling appointments, processing payments, and sending notifications.

Messenger bots provide a great opportunity for businesses to provide efficient customer service and automate certain tasks. However, ensure that the bot is programmed effectively and can handle a variety of customer inquiries. Also, it’s important to not solely rely on messenger bots and provide customers with the option to speak with a live representative if needed.
• Monitor and update the bot regularly: Analyze the bot’s performance and update it regularly to ensure it is providing accurate and helpful responses.
• Use the bot to gather customer feedback: Messenger bots can be used to ask for customer feedback on products, services, or the overall customer experience. With messenger bots, you can improve your customer service and streamline certain tasks, ultimately saving time and resources. However, ensure the bot is programmed effectively, regularly updated, and not solely relied upon.

Creating interactive videos is an excellent way to engage with your audience and provide an immersive experience. Here are some tips to create interactive videos:

• Start with a clear message: Before you create an interactive video, make sure you have a clear message or story you want to convey.
• Choose the right platform: Consider the platform you'll be sharing the video on and optimize it for that platform.
• Use interactive elements: Use interactive elements like hotspots, quizzes, and polls to engage viewers and keep them interested.
• Make it visually appealing: Use high-quality visuals, animations, and sound effects to make the video visually appealing and engaging.
• Keep it short and sweet: People have a short attention span, so keep your video short and to the point.
• Test and iterate: Test the video with a small group and collect feedback to improve it before releasing it to a wider audience.

Interactive videos boost engagement and provide a memorable experience for your audience. They can be used to promote products, educate viewers, or simply entertain them. The key is to make the video visually appealing and interactive, and to keep it short and to the point. For example, a cosmetics company could create an interactive makeup tutorial where viewers can click on different products to learn more or purchase them. A travel company could create an interactive video showcasing different destinations where viewers can vote on their favorite location or plan their itinerary. The possibilities are endless with interactive videos.

Social media is a powerful tool that can help businesses reach a wider audience and engage with their customers. By utilizing various strategies such as influencer collaborations, user-generated content, virtual events, and interactive videos, businesses can make the most out of their social media presence and stand out in a crowded digital space. The key takeaway is…stay up-to-date with the latest social media trends and adapt to the changing landscape to maximize your social media marketing efforts.