We’ve all tried to do it across multiple social media sites, build that organic traffic to stay away from paid social. Let’s face it, by the time we add staff and content writers, agencies, video production and promotions, this new world of word-of-mouth isn’t exactly cheap, is it? But first, let’s cover exactly what organic social is.
Organic growth is achieved by posting unpaid media regardless of video or image.
Hootsuite suggests that engagement rates for Facebook are currently down from 2.58% to 1.52% in July. However, 15% of organic posts are for non-followed content – that’s an upside we didn’t know about!
Brand building on social media without a budget is indeed challenging due to the restrictions and limitations imposed by the platform’s algorithms. However, it is still possible to build a successful brand presence with careful planning and strategy. Here are some strategies for doing so if you have the available staff on hand.
1. Content Quality and Relevance:
Create high-quality, relevant content that appeals to your target audience. It should be engaging, shareable, and align with your brand’s identity and values. If you can, video enhances views and engagement
2. Consistency:
Post consistently. This helps in maintaining visibility and engagement with your audience. The more engaged the community becomes, the more “organic” audience will see your posts. But remember, missing a post date or being inconsistent will not work.
3. Community Engagement:
Actively engage with your audience through comments, messages, and other forms of interaction. Respond promptly and constructively to feedback and enquiries within hours if you can. Social Medias reward you for fast responses, which can be a good one.
4. Leverage Hashtags:
Utilise hashtags strategically to increase the visibility of your posts. Research and use hashtags that are relevant to your content and audience.
5. Partnerships and Collaborations:
Collaborate with influencers, bloggers, or other brands that align with your brand. This can expand your reach and audience without requiring a monetary investment.
6. Utilise User-Generated Content (UGC):
Encourage your audience to create and share content related to your brand. This not only engages your community but also provides you with additional content that can be shared on your channels.
7. Join and Participate in Groups/Communities:
Participating in relevant groups or communities can help increase your brand's visibility and credibility among like-minded individuals and potential customers. But be selective and make sure you monitor progress to check you're accessing the right audience profiles.
8. Be selective:
Don’t waste time being everywhere. Not only do you spread yourself too thin, but the lack of focus shows in your posts with content fatigue. It’s better to work really hard on limited sites and build success than try to be all things to all people.
9. Monitor and Analyse Performance:
Keep track of which posts and strategies are working best. A/B test and adjust your approach accordingly. Use the native analytics tools provided by the social media platforms to determine what’s working and which subgroups are resonating with which content.
10. Storytelling:
Craft compelling stories around your brand and products. Stories can be a powerful tool for connecting with your audience emotionally.
11. SEO Optimisation:
Optimise your profile and content with relevant keywords and phrases to improve discoverability.
Do all this, and you will have a greater potential for success. However, there are still drawbacks
Limited Reach: Organic reach on social media has been declining over the years as platforms prioritise paid content. But there is that upside of 15% non-followed content and that means potential.
Time-Consuming: It requires a significant amount of time and effort to build and maintain an organic social media presence.
Slow Growth: Organic growth is typically slower compared to paid strategies.
Conclusion:
While the organic reach of social media posts has indeed been limited by platform algorithms, it is still possible to build a brand organically through strategic planning and consistent effort. What we tend to see is businesses investing for a period, say three months, expecting a large upturn, then becoming deflated when it doesn’t happen AND putting them straight back to square one.
Organic brand building primarily depends on engaging with the community, producing valuable content, and fostering relationships with followers and influencers in the niche. However, expectations regarding the time it takes to see significant results should be managed, as organic growth is a slower process than paid initiatives.
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About the author
Connect with Cath
Cath is Head of Strategy at MPA. A seasoned professional in marketing and media, Cath has worked across multiple Agencies and Clients from multinationals to start-ups