Social Media Marketing Secrets I’ve Learned Over the last 7 months
Since April of 2024, I’ve completely thrown myself into social media marketing for my company accounts. I knew it was an important marketing channel to nurture, and I realized that there isn’t a lot of competition in our industry specifically on social media. In just seven months, I’ve grown our social following by over 37,000 across all platforms. It wasn’t luck—it was a lot of testing, learning, and refining our approach. Here are the five key lessons that helped us achieve this growth.
1. Engagement Is Everything
Engaging on your own videos is important, but interacting with other accounts in your industry is just as crucial. Commenting on related posts and videos not only gives your brand more exposure but also signals to the platforms that you’re active and contributing to the community. Social platforms reward accounts that engage beyond their own content, so don’t just focus inward—get out there and start conversations.
2. Relatable, Engaging Content Is the Key to Growth
If you want your follower count to grow, you need to post content that grabs attention immediately. People have short attention spans, and if you don’t hook them in the first three seconds, they’ll scroll right past. Videos under 15 seconds tend to perform best in terms of views and engagement. Remember, it’s not about just posting anything—it’s about posting something that resonates.
3. Controversy Can Work in Your Favor
A little controversy can go a long way. While internet trolls can be frustrating, they also drive engagement, which gets your videos more exposure.
One of my most successful videos was a 10-second clip showcasing a $100 accessory to help connect couplers. It wasn’t even planned—I captured it during a shoot when the operator casually pulled the tool from his truck to connect his excavator couplers.
The comments were a mix of humor and debate:
“You got soft hands, brother.”
“Just hit it with your purse next time.” (my personal favorite)
On the other side: “Great for old folks,” and “That’s a great idea—some of these are brutal.”
The results? Over 35 million impressions, over a hundred thousand engagements, and double the sales for that product compared to last year. Visits to the product page increased by 100%. This proves that even unplanned, simple content can make a huge impact if it sparks conversation.
4. Consistency Is Critical
Consistency is everything when it comes to staying relevant in social media algorithms. Whether you post every day, once a week, or every other week, sticking to a content calendar is critical. If you start changing up your schedule, it’s harder for the platforms to recognize and push your content. Keep it consistent, and you’ll stay in front of your audience.
5. Your Post Captions Matter More Than You Think
Social media is becoming the new search engine. According to HubSpot, 24% of people now use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to search for information. That means your captions need to include thoughtful keywords and phrases that align with what your audience is looking for.
Hashtags are slowly fading out, and keywords are taking their place as the most important thing to include. Keep captions short (no more than four sentences), and make sure they provide real, useful information (also try to limit the exclamation points). The more intentional you are about your captions, the easier it’ll be for people to find your content when they search.
Conclusion
Social media marketing isn’t just about going viral; it’s about building trust, staying consistent, and creating content that resonates with your audience. Success doesn’t come overnight, but if you focus on engaging with others, posting relatable content, and optimizing your captions, you’ll see results over time.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that social media is a marathon, not a sprint. Keep testing, learning, and adapting, and your efforts will pay off.
