Hi, my name is Maddy, and I am a lazy social media user. It’s not that I don’t enjoy social media–but when I am marketing for myself and my business there are so many steps and rules I have to follow and so much conflicting advice from media experts that I get overwhelmed and end up doing absolutely nothing. At the end of 2024, I sat myself down and had a serious chat with the wall about how, as a freelance marketer offering social media support, I had to prove I knew what I was talking about by growing my own page. 

While there is some wonderful advice out there, I felt it was very regimented and I couldn’t sustain it all. I decided to leverage the “grocery store approach,” where I took whatever tidbits from other successful creators I liked and left the rest. And do you know what happened? It kind of worked! 

I grew from 60 followers to 233 in five months. I am now getting anywhere from 60 to 6,000 likes on each post, with roughly 800 to 374,000 views. My social media page is generating real, quality leads for me. You might look at these numbers and think to yourself “200 followers isn’t that much…” And you’d be correct! My goal was 1,000. But do you know what my main goal was? To simply grow. At any rate. I didn’t set out to “go viral” as again, I could not sustain a social media empire on top of my business. I am not an influencer, but a small business owner looking for some traction.

How did I do it without burning myself out? I’m going to tell you exactly how, but with the caveat that you also need to be grocery shopping this advice. Nothing is one-size-fits-all, so be sure you’re being realistic with where you are at and your own goals.

GET CONSISTENT.

I know you’re reading this tidbit and rolling your eyes. That is what everyone says! But do you know why? You can’t build a strategy from nothing. Start posting Reels three days a week (ideally building up to 5-7 a week), and as you get consistent, you will start to improve and learn what works for you. I started posting 5 reels a week.

SCROLL AND ENGAGE.

I had no idea what I should be posting about, so my earlier posts are chaotic and silly. But as I started scrolling the Reels page, I started to see trends. Trending audios are a great way to gain traction on your Reels, as well as seeing what people are doing with those audios. Make it your own, but in the beginning it’s okay to copy if everyone is doing it to just get something out there. Commenting, liking, and sharing other creator’s posts is vital to your growth. Instagram and Facebook (and TikTok, too) are not going to reward you for posting and ghosting. You have to massage the algorithm and boost other creators.

LEVERAGE DRAFTS.

When I’m scrolling and I hear an audio I have heard before or simply like, I click the small button in the lower right-hand corner of the post. I then click “use audio” and record immediately. I am not saying you record your final Reel—I am saying click the record button on your face for the duration of the audio. Then click “next” and type your idea on the video as if you are editing it. After clicking “next” one more time, there is an option to save the Reel as a draft. Do so! Then, when you have time and space, not only do you have the audio saved in your drafts, but you have your Reel idea or script ready to go. This tactic has been the game changer for me. Once a week or even once a month I set aside a few hours and I go through each of my drafts, record, edit, and schedule them. Even if you don’t get through all of your draft ideas in one sitting, you always have something to go off when you are ready.

BE AUTHENTIC.

This is probably the most fluffy part, but also the most important. While it’s forgivable in the beginning of your growth journey to be a carbon copy of other creators, this will not grow your page. Finding ways to insert your personality, your business, and your own spin on each Reel will. People want something new with something borrowed— not the same Reel they just watched five seconds ago. Start getting creative. Just because the trend is using an audio and showing one aspect of your business does not make that the rule. Use the audio in your own way and have fun with it! 

CAPTIONS MATTER.

You might think the recording piece is the most important, and while that’s true for grabbing your viewers’ attention, its hardly the only aspect that matters. Each caption of your post should be meaningful. You can be funny in the Reels, but the caption is where we get down to business. This should be the point of your video summarized in nice bullet points. Recorded a Reel about how tough the real estate market is? Add tips your buyers have found in the caption. Do not forget to add at the end of nearly all your captions why people should follow you. It is the final piece of the puzzle that can grow your page and in turn your business. It can be as simple as “Follow along for more real estate advice” or as personal as “Follow me for tips on the market and to watch me grow.” Give people the gist at the end or they won’t feel compelled to follow you.

USE HOOKS.

“Hooks” when referring to Reels in particular are typically something at the end of the video that says “more in caption” or “advice below.” It’s the way you get your viewers to look at that beautiful caption you crafted, which in turn can lead to followers. Hooks don’t have to be the same every time, but they should point people to the caption or some action. Think “call to action” for your video end. Marketing isn’t just about making people laugh, it's about getting your potential customers to the next step. 

Final Thoughts:

This has been the patchwork of tips that have worked for me. I’m not going viral tomorrow (I sincerely hope I don’t) but I am gaining traction and generating business. When it comes down to it, follower counts don’t always represent “success” on social media. Conversion plays a large role in my view of a successful social media strategy. If you want to only gain followers, you’re an influencer. Think like a business owner and don’t get discouraged. Nobody has all the answers, even if it feels like they do. We are all making it up as we go!

As always, we are here to support you. Even if that means booking an hour session where we dive into these tips for you and your business, or if you hire for ongoing support. We are one click away. Happy Marketing!