By: Sarah Jenkins

Social media has become a big part of how businesses grow and find new customers. One effective social media method is to get more people to try out your product/service and tell their friends about your business. 

People trust what their friends and family say more than they trust ads. When someone shares a good experience with a business on social media, their friends pay attention. This can help spread the word about your business quickly. Also, when people refer their friends, those new customers are often much like your current customers. This means they’re more likely to like your business, too.

Understanding the Power of Social Media Referrals

So, how can you get more people to refer your business on social media? One of the ways is to make content that people want to share. This could be helpful tips, funny videos, or interesting facts about your industry. The key is to create stuff that people find helpful or entertaining. When you do this, people are more likely to share it with their friends.

Another good idea is to start a referral program. This is where you give rewards to customers who bring in new business. You could offer discounts or free products to the person who refers a friend and the new customer. Make sure it’s easy for people to share their referral links on social media. You can also make it fun by rewarding people who bring in more new customers.

Petteri Pucilowski, Founder of Search Engine Wizards, knows how effective contests can be in boosting referrals. “In my years running Search Engine Wizards, I’ve found that social media giveaways can be powerful tools for increasing word-of-mouth referrals. I’ve seen firsthand how engaging content can spread quickly on Twitter. From my experience in e-commerce and SEO, I know that when followers share and tag friends, it can significantly boost visibility and attract potential clients. The key is to offer something valuable that relates to your expertise – in our case, it could be SEO tips or a mini-audit.”

It’s also essential to talk to your customers on social media. Answer their questions quickly, thank them for good reviews, and fix any problems they have. When you do this, people see that you care about your customers. This makes them more likely to tell their friends about you.

The Power of Show Don’t Tell on Social

Instead of just writing about your products or services, use pictures and videos to show them in action. This is where influencers can really help. Influencers are people with lots of followers on social media. Find influencers whose followers are similar to your customers. Work with them to create posts about your business that feel real and honest. When an influencer uses your product and shares a photo or video, it’s like a friend showing their followers how great your stuff is. 

People trust what they see, especially from someone they admire. Visuals grab attention quickly in busy social media feeds. A stunning photo or a fun video can stop people from scrolling and make them want to learn more. Try sharing behind-the-scenes pictures, how-to videos, or simple graphics explaining your product’s benefits. A picture is worth a thousand words, and it might be worth even more on social media.

Picture quality can make or break your business when it comes to high-ticket niches like Real Estate. Mike Wall, CEO of EZ Sell Homebuyers, said, “When I started using professional photography for my listings at EZ Sell Homebuyers, I noticed my homes sold faster and for better prices. Not only that, but my social media posts with these high-quality photos got way more likes and shares. It’s amazing how a few well-lit, perfectly staged shots can make a property stand out in a crowded market and catch people’s attention online.”

Ensure your social media pages look good and have all the information people need. Put a clear message on your page that tells people to try your product or service. Show off good reviews from happy customers. Make it easy for people to contact you if they have questions.

Each social media platform has unique features you can use. You can ask customers to recommend your business to their friends on Facebook. On Instagram, you can make fun, short videos about your products. On LinkedIn, you can share stories about how your business has helped other companies.

You can also team up with other businesses that sell different things to similar customers. You can promote each other’s products to your social media followers. This helps both businesses reach new customers. Harpreet Saini, CEO of We Buy Houses Metro Detroit, knows this first hand: “I recently teamed up with a local home staging company, and we started promoting each other’s services to our followers. It was amazing to see how this simple collaboration expanded our reach – we saw an increase in engagement on our shared posts! This partnership not only brought us new leads but also added value for our existing clients.”

The Power of Employee Evangelists

Giving excellent customer service is another way to get more referrals. When you solve a customer’s problem quickly, and in a friendly way, they’re more likely to tell their friends about it. Always follow up after fixing a problem to ensure the customer is happy. Have a product evangelist team who can engage with customers and the online community to spread the word about your business. Holger Sindbæk, Founder of Online Solitaire, mentioned, “As the founder of Online Solitaire, I’ve learned that our most passionate players are our best advertisers. While we don’t have a formal product evangelist team, we’ve created a community where our top players naturally spread the word about our game. We encourage this by featuring player stories and high scores on our site, leading to an increase in user-generated content sharing.”

Don’t forget about your employees. Encourage them to share news about your company on their own social media accounts. This can help spread the word about your business to even more people. Keep track of how well your referral efforts are working. Look at how many new customers you get from social media and how many people share your posts. Use this information to make your strategy better over time.

Final Thoughts

Remember, getting more referrals through social media takes time and effort. Be patient and keep trying new things. Focus on building genuine relationships with your customers and giving them great experiences. When you do this, they’ll naturally want to tell their friends about your business.

In today’s world, every happy customer can help bring in new customers. Using social media correctly lets you turn your satisfied customers into a powerful force for growing your business. Start small, try different approaches, and keep improving your strategy. Over time, you’ll see more and more people talking about your business on social media, helping you grow and succeed.

Published by: Holy Minoza