Everyone knows by now that you can’t really have Internet pages without a business model. This isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially when you think about all the new online platforms springing up every day.
With all these new channels to share ideas and businesses with the world, it can be challenging to keep track of which ones are worth your time and money and which ones are just a waste of your energy.
The business models for social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are no different than traditional channels in this regard.
It is important to understand what you can and cannot do on social media before jumping into an account.
If you look back at some of the more popular accounts out there, they have either been established through years of hard work and dedication, or they have been created through shady means with little or no accountability.
Newer social media channels like Instagram provide opportunities for anyone willing to take advantage of them by partnering with famous brands. However, not all successful accounts follow the same path.
To stay ahead of the curve, we’ve compiled a list of tips on how to make a business model for your own page on the Internet that will help you succeed on any platform (and save you from looking like an idiot in the process).
Determine What Is Essential For Success On Social Media
Determining what is essential for success on social media can be tricky. What exactly does it take to gain a large enough following to create a profitable account?
The answer is probably more than you’d like to know. The most important factors for any social media account are brand awareness and engagement, but what exactly does that mean? Engagement is the degree to which a social media post is liked, shared, and/or discussed.
Liking, sharing, and discussing posts can both indicate an increased level of engagement, which is ultimately how you want your posts to turn out. Brand Awareness is another essential factor for social media success. If people aren’t aware of your brands or products, then you have a societal problem to solve.
Of course, awareness isn’t just about what people know about you, it’s also about what they don’t know about you. In other words, you want to be sure that your brand’s name isn’t a household word.
Luckily, brands are going to play an important role in whether or not your social media posts succeed or fall short on this front. Business Model Canvas
Focus On The Essentials
You may have heard that you need to “freshen up” your content in order to attract more readers. While this is true in some circumstances, overall it is a dangerous practice.
If your content is old and tired, it won’t be as engaging as if you spent a few minutes freshening it up.
In addition, it can be easy to forget about the little things, like the right font and color scheme for your post, when you’re so intent on putting your best foot forward. What really helps with social media accounts is to keep it simple.
If you have three posts a day on Instagram, then all you’re doing is focusing on the wrong things. It might sound simple, but it’s actually a bit harder than that.
It involves keeping track of what you’re doing and why. You need to be methodical about your process.
If you notice that your posts are growing slowly but consistently, then you know what you’re doing. If not, then it’s time to take a step back and reassess your priorities. Business Model Canvas
Don’t Forget About Content Marketing
One of the most important things you can do for your account is to focus on content marketing. In other words, make sure that you are consistently publishing content.
Even if you’re only publishing one post a day, it can add up to a lot over time. It is easy to forget about content marketing when you’re under pressure to produce new content at a rapid pace.
However, when you take a step back and view your account more critically, you will notice that your posts tend to lose a lot of their luster.
It is helpful to remember that the content you are publishing is the most valuable. You should be writing about things that your audience cares about, not just yourself. Business Model Canvas
Brand Awareness Is Key
Unfortunately, you can’t just create amazing content and hope for the best. With few exceptions, brands don’t like to share their posts on social media.
Brands prefer to have an established social media presence of their own first, which usually means partnering with platforms that allow them to share their posts.
That being said, brand awareness isn’t just about the number of followers you have; it is about the quality of those followers as well. You can’t just pick up followers at random and hope that you turn into a marketing brand overnight.
It won’t happen. What you have to do instead is focus on brand awareness. The most effective brands have a rich history behind them, and they have quality followers. Quality follows quantity, and brand awareness follows popularity.
Rinse And Repeat Is The Only Way To Succeed
To be successful on social media, you need to make sure that your posts are consistent and regularly updated.
You need to follow the same practices you use for your business, and you need to be consistent in your brand awareness efforts as well. If you are posting once a week, that’s great.
If you are only sharing five times a day, that’s even better. It all comes back to the same rule of thumb, rinse and repeat is the only way to succeed.
If you post a lot but don’t post consistently, then someone will inevitably notice. Not only will they wonder why your posts aren’t there anymore, but they will also likely forget about you.
It is better to be too busy than not enough.
Bottom Line
Now that you know what’s what in terms of business models for social media, it’s time to get started.
You are going to need a plan for how to structure your posts so that they are both engaging and informative.
You are going to need a strategy for branding your account, and you are going to need a plan for growing your followers.
Once you have it all sorted out, you can start sharing some great content and growing your account on social media like never before