How To Increase Sales Using Social Media Content

By Claire Winter

Not getting as many sales as you would like? Are you finding it hard to sell your product or service? Social media is one of the most effective methods of gaining both direct and indirect revenue for your business.

Here’s how to create content to attract your ideal customer or client, while also having a bit of fun!

GO WHEREVER YOUR AUDIENCE GOES

Following your audience sounds a little creepy, but you’re not going to reach your desired customers by hiding away on platforms they don’t use. Instead, spend time getting to know your target audience. What social media channel do they spend the most time on? Where do they go to buy products and services? Do they hang out in Facebook groups? Could you create your own to attract your ideal client?

TURN EXISTING CUSTOMERS INTO BRAND ADVOCATES

Use your customers to help spread the word. You already know they love the product or service, so they are often more willing to promote in exchange for freebies and discounts. A good way to find them is by searching the hashtag of your brand name or business and finding those who have shared your products of their own accord. If you sell a digital product, course or membership, you could also create an affiliate scheme so that customers have a financial incentive to share your product or service too.

SHARE CUSTOMER CONTENT

The best way to encourage sales is to provide honest reviews or testimonials on your website that potential customers or clients can place trust in. In order to do this, encourage customers to share photos of your product or service online and ask them to leave reviews and testimonials. You can even repost those photos or reviews on your own social media page to increase loyalty and credibility. Stories on Instagram are a great place to share customer-generated content.

CREATE VALUABLE CONTENT

This goes without saying – your social media page must educate, excite and give value to your audience. It must be compelling enough that people want to follow your business and eventually make a purchase. 

Provide information that will encourage someone to try a product or service, such as a cupcake company sharing recipes, or a video testimonial who has increased their social following after doing a course about boosting engagement on Instagram. Show people what they’re missing out on and how your business helps them to progress or join in on the fun.

CONTACT SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS AND THE PRESS

Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask an influencer who has a decent following and engagement rate, to help promote your products. If you offer them a discount or freebie, they are more likely to accept. You can also ask magazines and journalists to feature your product or pitch an article or blog idea. You can also offer yourself to be the expert in an article in your area of expertise. This works well in driving sales because people place a lot of trust in the influencers they follow, comparable to the trust they place in friendships. Getting your influencer to post photos of your product, or even how-to videos and honest testimonials improve your credibility, as does a press mention or an article in a glossy magazine. 

A lot of time and consistency is needed to build up trust and credibility on a social media profile, but it is worth the investment to drive sales. It is all about winning the trust of your audience by creating content that really resonates with them and their values.

For more writing, content and PR tips you can join my free Facebook community. You can also find out more at clairewinter.info.

Claire Winter has been a content creator, journalist, and dedicated tea drinker for twenty years. She is a trained NCTJ journalist and started her career at ITN in radio and television. Passionate about helping business owners create content that converts via her online mastermind and 1:1 training, she loves sharing writing tips and content tips over in her own community, Cracking content.

Claire currently writes for all 41 Families magazines covering the UK and reaching 9 million parents a year. She has helped hundreds of large and small businesses with content marketing campaigns in print, online, and social media.