Social media management may seem simple but the hard truth is that running a professional account takes time and strategy. As a video creator, social media is an extremely valuable asset to help build your personal brand as well as create a direct dialogue to your fans. Having a strong social following will help your video stand out and is the key to being accepted to numerous networks like Vevo. Here are a few tips to help sharpen your social game and increase your following the right way:

Define Your Brand

Before you can decide on a specific social media strategy, you need to gain some insight on how you want to present yourself to the world. Define your voice and create a unique position and personality for your content. Once you figure out who you want to be as a video creator, you need to distinguish who you are trying to reach. Research which platforms your audience is using most frequently, and what type of messages they typically engage with. A helpful research approach to help you figure this out is to look at the social sites of artists you share a similar style with and see how they are approaching social media. Trial and error works too, but make sure you track your efforts to leverage the ones that work best.

Content is Key

Every post you share should have an intended purpose to provide some type of value for your audience. Quality content is consistent and concise. Since many people consume their social media with their mobile device, shorter more direct messages are more likely to be noticed and retained. Including graphics and videos is a strategic way to get your message across visually without a text-heavy explanation. Most importantly, all content you publish should be engaging and elicit interactions. Be sure to include clickable links and specific calls to actions to directly lead your audience to your intended video/webpage.

Personalization Goes a Long Way

While social media allows you to reach thousands of followers at once, it is crucial to build and  manage individual relationships along the way. The sooner you are able to answer a question or concern from a fan, the greater the impact will be. Personalized marketing should be direct and occur in a timely manner. An effective personalization strategy is to like or share posts from some of your fans. A fan “shout-out” can not only build your relationship with the specific fan, but it also provides an outside testimonial for your work, thus building your credibility as well.

Don’t Cheat

Before you start building your social media fan base it is important to note that there is a fine line between the right and wrong way to do so. Paying for video views or social media followers is never acceptable. YouTube, Vevo, and Vydia all have strict guidelines and consequences against such fraudulent activity and you risk your video being removed, or potentially your account being suspended. Attracting organic follower may take a longer time and more effort, but the long term and lasting benefits will make it worth the wait. If you want to leverage paid marketing efforts, look to Google Adwords to drive real traffic.

Analytics Matter

As you continue to build your social profile it is always important to refer back to your media metrics to ensure your posts are reaching their full potential. Both Facebook and Twitter have their own ‘Insight’ pages that give you specific information and statistics about yours individual posts and audience demographics. You will gain important information about which types of posts work, what times you should post, which social channels you should use. By staying on top on this information, you will be able to continually adapt your social media strategy to tailor your posts to the needs and interests of your target audience.

With time and practice, your social media strategy will become more seamless to implement and you will start to see long-term success. By following these four simple steps, you will be able to establish a sound social media strategy that will allow you to increase your following the right way to build an engaged and loyal fanbase. For more information about increasing your social following check out our #AskVydia video.