At Weaving Influence, it is our job to ensure our clients’ work receives the buzz it deserves. We’re always curious to discover what types of posts receive the most the views and what time of day to post in order make the biggest impact. That means we are constantly looking to other experts in our field for advice and suggestions concerning the latest tips and tricks.

But there’s a problem. There are a lot of social media “experts” out there. And many of them disagree with one another.

For instance, just this week we noticed that there are several differing opinions regarding the very best time to post on Facebook. We found a variety of competing theories. In the end we settled on one solid, though somewhat messy, conclusion.

The very best time to post on Facebook depends on your audience.

I know it’s not a clean answer. It doesn’t fit nicely into an infographic. You can’t figure it out in a split second. But in order to determine the best (insert “time to post on Facebook or any other social media channel” here), you must know your audience. Knowing your audience is the first step to determining your over-arching social strategy. Knowing your audience is the foundation to building buzz.

Here are 3 simple ways to spend time getting to know your audience.

1. Mine Your Archives: You’ll learn a lot about your audience from the success of your previous endeavors. Find 10 – 25 posts that received the most engagement. Next, see what those posts have in common. Is there a common theme? Were they all published on a particular day or at a particular time? Take the time to uncover what it is your audience is drawn to. By understanding what they respond to you can give them more of what they want.

2. Investigate Your Subscribers: Sift through the people on your email list, those who comment frequently on your blog and anyone who interacts regularly with you on various social media platforms. If they have a website, snoop around and discover what they are writing about. Find out which social media channels they use most frequently and be sure to connect and engage with them. If possible, keep a tally of time zones in which they live so you can taylor your promotion schedule appropriately. In order to reach your audience where they are, you first have to figure out where they are.

3. Ask! Publish a reader survey on your website and ask for feedback. You can use software to create your survey or simply pose questions in a post and ask readers to answer them in your comment section.  Consider collecting demographic information so you can tailor your message and tone accordingly. Use the survey as a way to give your readers a chance to be heard. Let them tell you what value you provide and why they visit your blog. Let your readers tell you how you could serve them better. Then be prepared to listen and continue to deliver.

Once you get to know your audience you can begin to sift through the valuable expert advice floating around the internet. Some will apply and some will not. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. But, by becoming an expert on your audience you will be better equipped to engage that audience. Uncovering what your readers respond to, where they are and what they need means you’re on your way to building buzz.

Is there a question you have about building buzz? Let us know!
We’d like to answer it in our new weekly buzz tip posts.