This is part 3 of our 3-part series on building and growing your email list. If you missed part 1 and 2, catch up here and here.
We love email over here at MeetEdgar. Yes, social media tool can love email marketing and that’s because we know you need multiple marketing channels (or tentacles ????).
In our previous post in this series, we discussed the importance of lead magnets and how you can create one that will have your audience scrambling to get on your list.
But it takes more than just creating a fantastic lead magnet to get people on your list. You’ve got to tell people that your lead magnet exists! In other words, you need to promote it and, social media is just the place to do it.
Here are some creative ways you can consistently promote your content without feeling repetitive or boring!
1. Add the link to your bio
Your bio is premium space on Twitter and Instagram. It’s one of the first things users will check out when they decide if they want to follow you and it’s the perfect place for your lead magnet. Add a link to a landing page where your audience can enter their email address and download your lead magnet. Include a short description in your bio about your lead magnet so your audience knows what to expect when they click on the link. Bonus points if you jazz it up with emojis like Heather did in our example below.
2. Pin it to the top of your Twitter page or your Facebook page
Both Facebook and Twitter allow you to “Pin” the most important info to the top of your page. Much like your bio, this is one of the first things your audience will see when they take a look at your profile. Pin your lead magnet link and description to the top of the page so it has premium placement.
If you frequent Twitter chats or Facebook groups or engage with others on Twitter then other users will naturally visit your page to learn more about you or maybe even give you a follow. By giving your lead magnet the top spot, you have more of an opportunity to connect with new followers and show them what you are all about!
If you run a Facebook group, you can also pin posts to the top of your Facebook group or you can include your lead magnet link in the “About” section of the group so new members can download it when they join.
3. Use your cover photos on Facebook or Instagram
Our brains process images 60,000 times faster than it processes text so using images to attract attention to your lead magnet is a smart practice. And one of the biggest images you have is your cover photos. Your audience is going to see your cover photo before they notice your bio or your pinned post so make some use of that great real estate.
You can use a graphic design tool like Adobe Spark or Canva to create a graphic that promotes your lead magnet. Include the graphic in the image description or direct people to your bio to where the link leads. Just be sure to actually instruct people how they can download your lead magnet!
4. Use pieces of your lead magnet as social content
You’re an expert at what you do so your lead magnet is probably CHOCK full of knowledge bombs that would make for perfect social media posts.
Pull out key quotes, stats, facts or ideas that are lightbulb moments or super shareworthy and create social media posts. If you have some graphic design skills, you can also quote images.
Go through your lead magnet and find those passages that are sure to grab your audience’s attention and make them want to see the rest of your lead magnet. Include a link to download your lead magnet along with the quote and sprinkle these posts into your social media schedule.
5. Experiment with social media ads
If you have an advertising budget and want to reach a larger audience with your lead magnet, then social media ads might be the right choice for you.
On Facebook and Instagram, you can create what is called a “Lead Generation Ad.” In this type of ad, a user would click on the ad to download your lead magnet and they are presented with a form that is already pre-populated with information from their Facebook profile (like their name and their email address) and then they can complete the process with just a few clicks and they can instantly download your lead magnet. This way, users don’t even have to leave Facebook or Instagram to download your lead magnet.
It’s easy for them and it’s cost effective for you because Facebook will charge per lead form completed, as opposed to charging for clicks to a landing page (where users may not even sign up!)
6. Promote it more than once!
If there’s one thing we can’t tell you enough, it’s that you have to share your content more than once on social media. The shelf life of social media posts is very short. For most platforms, your posts will stop reaching your audience within a few hours. So if you only post once, you’re only reaching a small fraction of your audience!
You might feel sales-y and spammy about consistently promoting your lead magnet but we have a few solutions for you to ban those feelings and feel good about promoting your work!
1.Mix up your content
If you share a variety of content in addition to your lead magnet, your page isn’t going to look overly promotional. It’s going to look balanced and consistent. We use a category system in Edgar to keep our feeds balanced and consistent. You can use categories even if you don’t use Edgar by choosing broad topics that you share, like curated content, questions or industry news. Keep mixing up your content and no one will think your overly promotional!
2. Engage with other users
If you want to be on social media, then BE SOCIAL! Even if you only engage for 10-15 minutes a day, you can make incredible connections and build up trust among your followers. Yes, it can really be that simple! This way, your feeds won’t look promotional and as an added bonus, your audience will be more likely to be interested in your lead magnet if they felt like they’ve made a connection with you. If you schedule your posts ahead of time, then use the time you’ve saved to engage with your audience!
3. Don’t be afraid to share your content
Here’s the truth: your audience needs your lead magnet. You created it to solve a problem for them and they want their problems solved. You should be sure that you are giving them the opportunity to find the solution, which means you may have to share that lead magnet more than once. It serves your audience and it will truly help them. They’re going to be excited to receive it and you should be excited to give it!
If you can see that promoting your lead magnet is serving and providing value to your audience, then it’s easier to share it on a regular basis!
Your lead magnet will not only grow your list but it can help your audience solve a problem, which in turn strengthens their knowledge and trust in you and your business. But first, you got to get it in front of their eyes (and their screens) so follow these tips and start promoting your lead magnet today.
We can’t wait to see your lead magnets in our social feeds!
