Social Booster: Maximizing Social Media Engagement

Kristina Stubblefield: [00:00:00] Thank you for tuning in to WedPro Business Solutions. I'm your host, Kristina Stubblefield. Today I want to talk about social media engagement, and it might not be exactly what you are thinking when you heard me say that topic. So I hope you will stay tuned because I believe we forget about social media being social.

What I want to talk about in this episode really has to do with vendors and venues and other businesses that you work with on social media. How much do you engage with them? And what I mean by that, do you like their pages? Do you follow their profiles on the different social media platforms, or do you just see their post if you already follow them?

Do you see their post and scroll by? Because, oh, I know that person. [00:01:00] Oh, I know what's going on there. So I've always loved the saying. That the tide lifts all boats. And I hope I said that right, I may have not, but I believe together we elevate each other and that's exactly what I want to touch on in regards to social media engagement.

So let's walk through this, do you follow or like the venues in your area, the ones that you work with, the new ones that have just maybe opened, or ones that you want to work at, do you follow and like them? What about vendors that you work with? Even ones that you're friends with? You know, seems like the ones closest to us sometimes are the ones that get, I don't wanna say overlooked, but it's almost just like, oh, I work with them all the time, so I don't [00:02:00] need to get involved as much with them on social media. And I would really say the opposite of that, to be honest with you. So don't forget about the ones that you work with maybe week in and week out. But also the other ones that are maybe part of organizations that you are also a member of, whether it be different associations, Chamber of Commerces, different organizations that you are a member of. Do you follow and like the other members? That's where we're starting at. Do you follow and like them? Now, let's go just a bit deeper.

How much do you engage with their posts, their videos? Do you like them when you see them? Do you take a moment and comment? Because that my friends is the key. Not only liking the posts, [00:03:00] the videos, the information they share, but also commenting. That's the engagement. Whether you are agreeing, "I've done that before", "a hundred percent agree" or couldn't have said it better myself. Even just a couple words. You're working together, you're supporting each other, and if it's relevant and it's a good fit, you can also share that information out on your stories. Maybe you even do a duet on TikTok or on reels. There are so many opportunities to work together.

That's what I call it. Work together, engage together online as wedding professionals that you can offline.

Those are just things that maybe are [00:04:00] not at the top of our mind every day. One thing that I've recently done is made a 30 minute section in my calendar, and what I do is I go in, I do a story on Instagram, Facebook. I might put up a video on TikTok, but the other thing that I do, I also take the time and scroll through the feed and I like other people's post, whether they're my clients, friends, some of them I comment on, yes, I allocate specific time to do that because I want them to know they're seen, they're heard. All of us talk about, how much time it takes to really dive in with social media and use it to our advantage for our business.

Whether it's making the post, recording, the videos, doing the graphics, whatever it [00:05:00] is, posting the stories, there's time involved, and time is money. And if we all work together and just take the time to like each other's post and a few comments here or there, and sharing content that is relevant to your business.

You stand to gain so much. And I've always been one that has spoke about community over competition. I have for many, many years. I'm a firm believer in that, that there is plenty of business out. And I have wedding professionals that I've been very fortunate to work with for a number of years. It can be overwhelming, especially when you get into wedding season and things are so busy and hectic.

No one can relate better to what you're going through than other wedding professionals. And I know there's so many [00:06:00] different negative things out there about social media, and I get it, but it is also a way that keeps us connected. It is something that keeps us connected no matter how far away they are.

I have people that I've met from speaking engagements that are in other countries that are states and states away, but I'm able to stay connected with them through social media. And that is one thing that I have made a point just in the last couple of months of spending just a little bit of my time to show my support for not only clients, but also my friends, as well as new venues and vendors that I see out there now, that is a very, very, very small gesture.

But when you talk about social media engagement, it absolutely can get you seen by other [00:07:00] people, by engaged couples. That may not be your mission at all. Your mission may be to support your friends in the industry, or VIN vendors or venues that you work with on a consistent basis. But the other side is you're increasing your presence, your business, your name is being seen by others that could be your ideal client. And I will go into this a little further. Don't forget about the groups that you're part of on Facebook. Maybe you're part of groups in other channels that are not even really social media, but you're part of groups online. Are you active? Do you post. Do you engage with others?

I know for a fact that I've been part of groups that I've posted something to share with others and it's been crickets. Crickets. And I'm like, wow. Like [00:08:00] I took the time to share that. So my point to this is, I'm going back to community over competition. Engage in those groups. There's many of great Facebook groups out there that are for engaged couples wedding professionals.

If you have something to offer, offer it up. Of course, make sure the rules, allow that for that group. But chime in, comment, like, share. How many times do we hear that out there? Make sure to follow, make sure to like, make sure to share. But in all honesty, that is a great way to network on social media, and I knew that this was probably gonna be a short episode and it really just wanted, I wanted it to be a reminder to everyone out there [00:09:00] that if we all just do a smidge a little bit, if we just do a little bit with engage.

It can make big waves, big waves. Now, am I sitting here telling you that that's gonna drive all kinds of traffic to your website and that's gonna turn into a bunch of leads? I'm not saying that, but I'm saying little by little it can make an impact, an impact that you might not ever really realize, especially at the time you're.

But your words, your comments, your support, you never know how that might impact someone else. And for the engaged couples out there that are searching for resources and information and education while trying to plan their big day, your few words might be the connection piece needed for [00:10:00] them to make a better educated decision, whether it's to use your business or not, in my opinion, that's really important and I will say this, social media, it's a free platform for you to use for your business, as well as personally, but for your business, and I think a lot of people forget that. Sure, of course. Maybe you pay someone to do your graphics or edit your videos, or maybe you run social media ads and you're gonna say, well, it's not really free.

What I'm saying is the platform itself is free for you to use. There are plenty of places that you can engage just by liking, sharing commenting. And I think if you just devote a very small amount of time, maybe it's only a couple times a month, maybe it's only once a month, maybe it's once a week, or if you're doing it like I am and [00:11:00] you make 15 minutes in your schedule every morning, you may notice a difference quicker.

I'm happy to say that I know someone that has recently embraced this and they've gotten more followers that they haven't really even been trying to, they've just been showing up more where their ideal audience, spends their time. They've been showing up more. Because your business name, your name is seen when you like, when you comment, when you share, and that my friends, is a way that is not discussed a lot about social media.

It doesn't cost anything other than a little bit of your time to engage. I encourage you to do so, and you can start with people that are in your different organizations or associations that you're a part of. You can start in groups where your [00:12:00] potential clients spend their time. As always, I will say, make sure anything that you're doing in groups or things like that, that you follow the rules.

They're there for a reason and you wanna abide by that. I will say this, if you shoot me a DM or a message on Facebook, whatever platform you use, I'm on all of them. Shoot me a message and I'll make sure that I follow you, that I pay attention to more of your post. Because we all know the algorithm, you're only, you're, it's filtered.

You're only seeing a small portion of what's out there. But shoot me a message so that way I can make sure that I like and follow you. And I would ask the same in return, whatever platforms you spend your time on, whatever social media channels do you follow or have you followed me yet? If not, please do so.

Again, together we can elevate [00:13:00] everyone's businesses. I hope to hear feedback from you on this episode. If you're not already part of my free Facebook group, I encourage you to join. I will have a link, whether you're watching this on YouTube or in the show notes on your favorite podcast platform.

Until next time, keep working on your businesses and take care.