The average attention span for the notoriously absent-minded goldfish is nine seconds. Various studies now have people’s interest waning after just eight. So if you want to stand out on social media you need to keep it simple, relevant and engaging.
Here are some ideas of how you can build your audience:
- “Can anyone suggest an answer...?”
Asking your readers for problem-solving solutions is a great way to keep your readership engaged. Everybody loves to give advice, so use this instinct to your advantage.
- “Bananas – half price this weekend”
Every community has events going on throughout the year, such as the local school fair, a weekend farmers’ market or firework display. By advertising these, you're not just helping your clients to become more engaged in their community, you're also helping community organisers to get people to their events - and these people are often great connectors.
Doing this also helps to remind your clients that by renewing their policies through you, they are supporting a local business.
- “Season’s greetings”
Be seasonal, but also be relevant. Here are a few examples to inspire you.
- Support the Rustleton Fun Run...”
Post details about any local fundraising event that you hear about. In addition to helping those in need, this helps you to build good connections with a lot of local organisations.
- “Great job, Emma!”
Everyone likes to be thanked, and it feels even better if it’s published and there’s a picture of you.
Standing out on a crowded web on social media is a challenge, but can be fun and should be highly motivating for your team. If you’ve got a local market, use your resources to help the community. In the short term you will earn more followers that are more engaged, and that’s great - but the real magic happens in the long term when the people you’ve helped need, or know someone who needs, your services.