Social media marketing is an integral part of life and continues to evolve. Social media presents an opportunity to engage and connect with potential and existing consumers. It is important to not use social media posts as an advertising opportunity, but to join in conversations with followers. Here are 5 tips in social media marketing:

Interact—The number one rule of social media marketing is participation. Participation will spread recognition of the organization. Share other similar organizations’ posts and interact with consumers by commenting on posts. This will facilitate a conversation and prevent a monologue.

Be Visual—Visual posts increase engagement and interaction. It is crucial to be visual on Facebook and Twitter. Use graphics, photos, infographics and videos to aid a post whenever possible. Whether it is a photo album of a fun event at work or a graphic of an inspirational quote, being visual will gain traction with followers and consumers on social media.

Call to Action—Don’t be afraid to have a strong call to action. Tell consumers and followers to like, share or respond to a post. Include links to drive users to your website. This will help “word-of-mouth” sharing online.

Use Hashtags—Posting a photo with a hashtag increases impressions, meaning more people see the photo online. Use hashtags to categorize your tweet or Facebook post into certain topics. Only use hashtags relevant to the topic. Also, retweet on Twitter to express accordance with an organization or business. Retweet the message if it is relevant and recent.

Consistency—Be continual in your posting and post content that you, personally, find engaging. Post regularly, at least once a day on Facebook and Twitter, to stay top of mind with consumers and followers. Every post does not have to be about your company or organization. Relate to consumers and followers by creating seasonal or holiday posts. For example, ask your followers, “What has been your favorite Halloween costume?”