According to experts, social media drives 31% of all referral traffic to websites. While this figure may vary by industry, it doesn’t change the fact that social media plays a more important role in the success of your business than you think.

If you’re wondering how to supercharge your social media content and presence, here are six helpful tips to get the most out of your reach:

Don’t Spread Yourself Thin

Many bloggers and organizations tend to spread themselves too thinly across the many major social media platforms and posting similar content on each one.

Keep in mind that each platform serves a specific purpose. When you post a particular entry across the board without mixing it up, your audience might quickly lose interest because they’re seeing the same thing over and over again.

Instead, choose the social media platform that best suits your needs (relative to the type of content you want to post).

If you’re looking for a one-size-fits-all solution, then Facebook is often the way to go thanks to its broad audience and interests. But if your company is promoting beauty products, then you might want to look at Pinterest. For visual merchandising, go with Instagram.

Incorporate User-generated Content

According to a marketing study, 83% of consumers trust a recommendation given by a friend over a random advertisement. More so, human psychology and the social proof theory shows that people are more attracted to a product or service that others have tried and trusted.

With that said, include user-generated content such as reviews, contests and discussions in your website and use them to your marketing advantage.

For example, Starbucks once hosted a contest where people could decorate its iconic coffee cup and submit their entries via social media. By the time it was over, Starbucks not only managed to increase its social media reach, but they were able to really engage their audience through visually-appealing and user-generated content.

Build Relationships

Relationships must always be a trusted two-way street, and the same holds true when it comes to social media.

Nobody wants to hear you make announcements solely about your company’s many achievements. Post more about others instead, including the things that are happening in your community, helpful information, and helpful tips for your fan base.

For example, if your website is dedicated to promoting no Wi-Fi games, or just games in general, then try to elicit a reaction from your audience by asking which one they think is the best and why. This will definitely give your profile the attention it deserves, ultimately expanding its reach as more and more users get sucked into the conversation.

Have Some Integrity

The world of social media can get a little confusing at times. Many companies fail to enter into the industry without proper education and commitment, which may lead to missed opportunities and loss of brand integrity.

While you don’t need to be an expert to manage your own social media account, keeping one up and running it does require some time and thought, along with knowledge, interest, and experience.

Keep in mind that whatever you post online must have a clear intention. When your company shows inconsistencies – be it while amplifying your values, promoting a product, or trying to attract a particular client – it puts your brand’s integrity at risk and may cause you to lose customers over time.

Add Real Value

Posting great content isn’t all it takes to maintain a strong and positive presence on social media, as interacting with your audience is highly essential to the whole process.

Engagement provides much better value and you give customers the message that your company truly cares. When your customer feels valued, it increases their chances of returning to your website a second time and possibly becoming a repeat customer.

Likewise, this tactic gives you a chance to answer people’s questions about your business, products, or services, and also provides an avenue for marketing and customer service all at the same time.

Experiment with Timing

At the end of the day, social media is a publishing platform. And like any other venue out there, you need to maintain a level of professionalism to keep your profile from turning into an embarrassment.

To do so, create a social media channel plan and come up with an editorial calendar. Take note of certain dates/times when your audience is most interactive and use that to your advantage when posting new content. Being smart and organized are the keys to making this work.

Your Turn

Getting the most out of your social media reach isn’t as difficult as it seems. What’s important is that you diversify your efforts. Different people respond to different platforms, so don’t focus solely on one aspect of social media.

Look at the big picture. Incorporate these tips into a dynamic marketing campaign that will expand your reach to lengths you’ve never imagined.