Building a network of friends, fans and followers on social media can be exciting and rewarding for a business that wants to increase traffic to its site, generate leads and boost sales.
But, once you get started, how do you engage these interested parties? After all, it’s one thing to get someone to Like you, it’s another to keep them on the hook. 
It helps to know who your followers are, what they’re looking for and how to reach them. Let’s take a look at the three most common kinds of social media users and how your business can engage them to get a positive response:
1. The voyeur
Sounds kind of creepy, doesn’t it? But, there are more of these types of social media users than you might think. This is the person hanging back, always at the edge of the conversations—listening but not necessarily participating. How do you get him to connect with you?
The truth is, this person is someone you’ve met before in real life. He’s the guy who needs to be drawn out. Use the same techniques on social media that you do in real life—approach him and ask questions, sound interested in his opinions and concerns. Have private conversations at first, then invite him to share his views. He is a gold mine of information. You just need to dig for it.
Things to remember about the voyeur:
- Prefers private interaction and direct messaging
- Does not participate regularly, but most likely will if coaxed
- Likes conversations geared to his personal interests
2. The social media pro
Somewhat the opposite of the voyeur, the pro knows what she’s doing and is good at it. This is the person who is a little harder to attract because she’s particular about the quality of her connections.
But, don’t let this deter you from trying. In fact, you should consider putting most of your resources into this type of user because the reward can be handsome. Here are some things you should know about the pro:
- Most likely a thought leader or expert in her niche
- Has a broad reach, including a large number of fans and followers
- Tends to have quality content on her social media accounts
3. The old stand-by
This is your predictable, reliable user. He regularly participates and shares information as much as he responds. This person enjoys interaction on social media and can usually be depended upon to contribute something.
He is valuable to you because he can easily become your sounding board, your go-to when you want to start and maintain a discussion, and your stand-by when you need to get others to respond. Bounce ideas off of him, make him your cohort and watch the effect ripple through your network. This user prefers:
- Consistent posting of information
- Regular feedback for his tweets and comments
- Content geared to his interests, with invitations to respond
These are not the only people you will encounter on social media. But, they represent a large portion of your typical users. And, they represent much of your potential income using this powerful marketing tool. Get to know them, and tailor your content and habits on social media to them, and you will get better results.
Do you have any suggestions for how to engage social media users? We’d love to hear from you!
*Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
