Consider this: We now spend an entire day every week online. People are, on average, online for 24 hours a week, and 84 percent of those online users are accessing the net from mobile devices. Internet users are now spending an average of 2 hours and 22 minutes per day on social networking and messaging platforms.
That’s about 17 hours per week on average spent on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social platforms.
What an amazing opportunity to reach your customers and share images, ideas, and get conversations started! Social media can be a time bandit and in summer when you’re super busy, it is not always priority one. So, we thought we’d share three easy strategies to get followers, and then get them addicted to you.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE AND WORK YOUR "VOICE".
Creating content that is consistent is how you are going to get followers and get them addicted to you. Additionally, make content that doesn't fall into the "wall of same" pretty plant pictures that often besets our industry.
Your garden center is unique, right? Then so too should a look, feel, and tone across social media channels that could only be you.
- Are you the owner and the “face” of the place? Then let's see pictures of you. Then read posts that are about your journey and your day at the garden center.
- Do you want your place to be known for ideas and inspiration? Would you read a post that starts with "We love how annuals can change up the garden in a flash." Or if it read "All annuals are 20% off"?
- Are you known for lavishly planted container or amazing displays? Then make a weekly post (Container Recipe of the Week) to showcase this. This will make your followers come back for more.
- Or, maybe you love to share some garden humor? Own it!
Here are just a few winning Instagram posts.
@macdonaldgardencenter shows how to have fun with it.
@sambridgenursery touts a fantastic customer service with this drop-dead glam example.
@tonkadale shows us who they are and what matters to them.
@edenvalenursery marries a compelling idea with a killer display.
FEWER WORDS, MORE STORYTELLING IMAGES.
Your followers are moving through life at the speed of sound these days. To be heard across all the noise and clutter of the net, you need to catch, capture, and charm. This will entice them to pause and read your posts. Your look and feel might be beauty, or humor, or a slice of life at the garden center. Regardless, strong images tell a story, even before a followers reads the caption. These are more likely to result in the numbers you're looking for to measure your success.
Here are just three examples of Instagram posts that had lots of “likes”. Each has an organic beauty and a dramatic, strong focal point that grabs the eye. Can you do this? Of course!
This IG post from @floretflowers doesn't need a caption to tell you that daffodils are the topic of the day!
If you saw this picture of ladybugs from @sloatgardens, would you be compelled to stop and read the short caption? We would!
Is there a story here? Can I learn something from an expert? Tell me MORE!
ALWAYS RESPOND TO COMMENTS.
ALWAYS!
Comments can range from a question to a compliment to a complaint. What do these all have in common?
Someone cared enough, was moved enough, or is compelled enough to stop and have a moment with YOU. That’s the end goal here, right? To build a community of consumers who just dig you.
Respond. Always.
Do you have any social media strategies that work very well for you? Share! Have questions about what, how, and how often to post? Ask! We’d love to help.