Nowadays, just about everyone has a reason to be on social media. Whether you want to represent a hobby or passion, connect with friends, or market your business, social networks have a lot to offer. To some, succeeding in the world of social media is important. It means having a broad audience who are connected, and engaged. But how can you become a valuable member of the social media space?

I’ve been doing this a long time, and I still do not have all of the answers. Some days I feel as if I’m almost there. Other days I feel as if I’m missing the mark completely and being ignored. Unless you have a huge loyal following and time to tweet, post FB messages, or Instagram pics all day long, it may take a while to feel like your social presence is where it needs to be. I’m working on upping my game this year.

Here are a few tips to get going on upping your social presence.

Show a Little More Personality

My husband claims to be one of those “private people”. You know, that ones that say, “Why do you have to post that photo?” or “Why do you have to put that on social media?” The other day we were having a discussion about my post, I GOT A JOB!!! And I’m Exhausted!, and the fact that the post got more views, more comments on social, and more likes than all other posts that I have done the past several months. I was explaining to him that people love personal stories. People love to know that those that they read are human. People love to read things that they can connect with. It’s important to be yourself. You need to find your social media voice. This might be more conversational and humor based, or you may be the one that talks all things political, or you may love to get out tech tips. Heck, you may be the one that replies to everything with copy and paste emojis and maybe even memes. Whatever it is, make sure that you sprinkle in healthy doses of yourself throughout. This is easy for me to do on social media, but not always so easy when blogging. If things are very busy and I have deadlines, it is harder to write those “story posts”. That’s something that I am really working on this year. The important thing is… Don’t be afraid to show a bit more personality in your blogging and on social media!!

Share Relevant Info

Social media is all about being social of course. You can capitalize on this by curating your blog content and getting it out at the right times. Sharing posts that you have written about hot topics of the moment, holidays, and other relevant subjects are great ways to start up a conversation. Create a social media link with a short summary and a call-to-action that followers will want to respond to. Use a scheduling tool like Coschedule or Hootsuite to schedule your posts to be shared across social media at peak times of the day.

Reward Your Community

It’s because of your readers that you succeed. Reader engagement is crucial to keep your blog going. Reward your readers by hosting giveaways, giving them useful info that actually helps them, or by just truly saying thank you! Respect them, and remember that they are real people, and they will appreciate it. Now, you don’t have to go giveaway crazy. I host very few throughout the year. It can be hard work! But, it’s rewarding for the winners. You can also offer them free printables, free eBooks, and access to deals if is appropriate for your site.

Remember that People are Visual Creatures

Perfect your photo game. Pictures can be the key to whether or not someone clicks on a post, or just passes it by. Great photos tend to get a lot more attention than straight text. Mix up your messaging format. Use all of the platforms to connect with your followers and engage them. Of course Instagram is the best platform to share your awesome photos, but you can also push those to Facebook and Twitter for even more engagement. Share only photos that you truly think will get a response. Blurry photos are a no no! Share clear, well composed photos.

Know Those High Traffic Moments

Important to all messaging is how likely people are to see it. New posts are more likely to be seen than older posts. So you need to target the delivery of new content for specific times a day. In the morning, at lunchtime, and in the later evening are the best times a day. Save the posts you consider your ‘big guns’ for peak times. Posting them in the middle of the night won’t get them in front of a lot of eyes.

To really succeed on social media, you have to focus on the social aspect of it. Think about your voice and how people perceive you. Use content specifically created or curated for them. Get them involved in the conversation. The best users of social media are the best because they care and take the time to involve the community.