Written by Gabi Ferraro-Michaelson, Winter Intern, HJ-PR
Find your niche
People will look to follow you because of the content you post, your unique personality, and the stories you share. The content you share should align with your self-identity and how you describe yourself in your profile, which will allow your followers to know what to expect from your profile.
Respond to comments as often and as genuinely as possible
When you choose to engage with your comments, your followers will feel more like a community and be motivated to engage with your posts regularly. A great way to respond to comments phrased as questions is to answer the question directly and create content that also answers the question. A creator could do this on Instagram by going live or on TikTok by creating a video response to the comment. Followers are creators’ supporters, not their “fans”, and creators can make them feel like they’re a part of their community by actively going live and engaging with their supportive comments directly.
Cross-promotion
Cross-promoting your content on various social platforms and adding relevant hashtags to your posts. Hashtags are an easy way to expose your content to new users. People searching on your posts’ hashtags are compelled to follow you for more if you create captivating content. If you cross-promote your content on different platforms, you can also reach a larger audience. When you share the links to your Instagram on your Titkok account or post the TikToks you make to Instagram reels, you can maximize your reach across the platforms.
Attach social media with the right attitude
If you do the right things and approach growing an active community with the right mindset and right intentions, you can turn your social media platforms into places where your supporters come together to share your brand experience with you. Creating goodwill amongst other creators and supporters is very important, so a great way to build a community is to follow other relevant accounts because it may inspire them to follow you back and engage with your content. Having a consistent posting schedule will show that you’re reliable and will also help build trust within your community.
*Extra* Tips on how I grew my personal community on TikTok:
Over quarantine, I started actively posting art and fashion content on TikTok and grew a platform. I made sewing tutorials, styling videos and I also did a small project where I posted one piece of art I created each day. This project turned into a way for me to engage with my community and showcase my art, but it also gave me a chance to see all the amazing things people were also creating. When I would post a sewing tutorial or showcase a piece I made, individuals would duet the video or tag me in their video recreating the piece. I honestly see my “followers” as friends, and I love seeing all the ways they engage with my content and have been inspired by something I made.
Through positive community engagement, I was able to start my own business where I worked closely with individuals who bought commissioned pieces. If I hadn’t built this community on TikTok, I probably wouldn’t have had the confidence to showcase and sell my work, and I am so grateful for all the kind comments and amazing members of my community that continues to support me.
