Creating and growing a social media following is as much an art as it is a science. First, the science...

You've heard of the "Facebook Algorithm"? It's this magical, mystical creature hiding in the innards of Facebook. Nobody's quite sure exactly how it works, but everyone has theories. It's basically a set of mathematical formulas that decides who sees which posts, and when. The social media nerds of the world have several strong hypothesis that I'll share with you:

1) Video is king. Post video on Facebook as often as you can. Videos are ranked higher by the algorithm and therefore get seen by more people.

2) Avoid "salesy" words such as: App, Buy, Comment, Coupon, Deal, Discount, Download, Follow, Free, Freebie, Giveaway, Offer, Percent, Percentage, Promo, Promotion, Sale, Sample, Save, Share, Shop, Sweepstake(s), and Win. The Facebook algorithm despises these words and others like them!

3) If you're not using video, make sure to use a photo! And preferably, not a photo with wording placed on it. Wording placed on top of the photo is okay if it takes up 25% or less of the overall image.

Secondly, the art...

Each business has it's own "personality". Spend some time thinking about the personality of your business. Is it serious, fun, friendly, casual, nerdy, hip, professional, goofy, family-oriented, trendy, hard-working, masculine/feminine, soft, hard, healthy, ....? Does your business have a colour scheme? How about an icon, mascot, or favourite object/food/drink?

Now that you've nailed down the personality of your business, it's time to tell the story.

Again, spend some time thinking. This time, think about why your business was formed. Was it out of passion? What are you passionate about? And why? This is your back-story. Let it leak out a bit in your posts. Now that you've shared a bit about the past, what about the present? Are there things that happen at the workplace that others might find interesting/amusing/intriguing? Maybe someone played a practical joke on someone else. If it's appropriate and fits the personality of your business, share it on social media, with a picture or a video! How about a behind-the-scenes post? Ideas: a group shot of all of the employees at the beginning/end of the day or at a staff event (Christmas party?); when progress happens: new offices, new employees, certificates, trainings, and workshops; or a glimpse into the personalities of some of the people in your business.

The key is, know the personality of your business and tell the story of your business, while keeping in mind that crazy Facebook Algorithm!

Colour scheme: barnwood red Personality: nerdy, friendly, small town, approachable, casual

Visit my Facebook Page or Instagram profile to read my story!