Welcoming new followers and friends to your social media channels is a great way to show you’re active and care about your social network. You can boost your relationship with prospective members, as well as making them feel important and valued. Most importantly it will encourage them to keep sharing.
Why should you thank someone for following you?
Every relationship starts with a “Hello”, and someone has to make the first move, so let’s get started. A welcome post is a great way to welcome new followers to your social media networks. Everyone loves a mention and it’s a great way to get a conversation started that could lead to a long relationship. It’s also a good way to discover who are real people and who are bots 😉
Saying thanks to new followers is common on social media platforms, and there are plenty of reasons why you should. But, before we get to that, a word of warning! If you are going to welcome new followers, be genuine (or don’t bother). Personalised and sincere messages are more likely to have a positive impact, whereas robotic sales messages, meh!
So, let’s look at why you should thank someone for following you:
1: Simple acknowledgement
It’s a way to acknowledge and appreciate the support and engagement of your followers. When someone follows you, they are interested in your content or what you have to say, and saying thanks is a polite way to acknowledge that interest.
2: Building relationships
Social media is about building connections and relationships. By thanking new followers, you initiate a positive interaction and potentially start a conversation; this can lead to deeper engagement and more meaningful relationships with your audience.
3: Encouraging engagement
Expressing gratitude can promote more engagement from your followers. It can lead to likes, comments, and shares on your posts, which can help increase your visibility and reach a wider audience.
4: You are being polite
It’s considered good social media etiquette to thank people for following you. It’s a way of showing that you are approachable and friendly and appreciate the support of your followers.
5: Humanising your brand
Using social media for personal branding or representing a business or organisation, thanking new followers can humanise your brand. It shows that real people behind the accounts value their audience.
6: Differentiating yourself
Not everyone takes the time to say thanks, so doing so can help you stand out and be remembered by your followers. It’s a simple way to make a positive impression.
As your following grows, it may become challenging to thank every new follower individually, but you can still acknowledge and appreciate their support through occasional posts or messages.
How to say thanks to new followers.
Whatever method or social channel you choose, ensure your welcome is genuine and authentic. New followers can tell when you’re putting in a real effort to make them feel welcome, and they’ll appreciate it. Here are some ideas for showing gratitude that can be easily adapted:
1: Simple, straightforward and genuine
- “Out of millions of people to follow, you made a GREAT choice. Thank you.”
- “Thank you for following! I am excited to have you here and will strive to make your time worthwhile. Cheers!”
- “Thanks for following us, [@Mention]! Please feel free to reach out if you need any assistance with your marketing.”
- “Thank you for following us, [@Mention]. We hope you find our tweets enjoyable!”
2: Promote other channels.
- “[@Mention] Great to meet you! Are you on [Social Channel]? Let’s connect and build a network of like-minded people at [Profile URL here]. See you soon!”
- “[@Mention] It’s great to be connected. Would you like to stay in touch through [Social Channel]? Here’s the link: [Profile URL].”
- “[@Mention], Thanks for the follow. We look forward to the conversation! Keep up with us on [Social Channel], too. [Profile URL] Thank you!”
3: Conversation starters
- “Thank you. Do you have any recommended best practices for using Twitter?”
- “Here is my blog on [topic and subjects] for the future. I’d Love your feedback. Thanks. [URL]”
4: Next steps link to value-added content
- “[@Mention] Thanks for following me. We help [five-word description]. Visit me on Facebook to learn more [URL].”
- “Please visit our website to learn more about our company and services or visit [company website URL].”
- “Thank you for following me on Twitter. We are blogging weekly about [subject/topics]. Follow along here: [URL].”
- “Hi! Thanks for following us. Sign up for our newsletters for more [Topic/Subject].”
- “@Mention, THX! Get the New Report: [title of report, white paper]. [URL]”
5: New follower competitions
- “Thanks for connecting! “Like” us on Facebook and get entered to win an iPad [URL].”
How to welcome new followers on Instagram
There are a few ways to welcome new followers on Instagram:
1. Send them an Instagram direct message (DM)
A Direct Message (DM) is a great way to personalise your welcome and make new followers feel special. You can send them a general greeting, thank them for following, and introduce yourself and your brand. You can also offer them a discount or other incentive or ask them a question to start a conversation.
2. Comment on their posts
Another way to welcome new followers is to comment on their posts; this shows that you’re interested in what they say and that you’re not just after their follow. You can leave a genuine compliment, ask a question, or share your thoughts on their post.
3. Tag them in a post or story
Tagging new followers in a post or story is a great way to get their attention and make them feel welcome. You can tag them in a post you think they’ll be interested in or create a unique story for new followers.
4. Create a welcome post or story
You can also create a dedicated welcome post or story for new followers; this is a great way to introduce yourself and your brand to new followers and tell them what to expect from your account. You can include information about your products or services, your posting schedule, and your call to action.
5. Use a welcome message
If you have an Instagram business or creator account, you can set up a welcome message to be sent automatically to new followers; this saves time and ensures that all your new followers receive a welcome message.
How to welcome new followers on Facebook
Create a welcome post.
A welcome post is a great way to introduce yourself and your brand to new followers and tell them what to expect from your page. You can include information about your products or services, a posting schedule, and a call to action. Pinning your welcome posts to the top of your page will ensure that new followers see your welcome message when they visit your page.
Send a Facebook direct message (DM)
A Direct Message (DM) is a more personal way to welcome new followers and to make them feel special. You can send them a general greeting, thank them for following, and introduce yourself and your brand. You can also offer them a discount or other incentive or ask them a question to start a conversation.
Comment on new follower posts
Commenting on follower posts shows that you’re interested in what they say and that you’re not just after their follow. You can leave a genuine compliment, ask a question, or share your thoughts on their post.
Tag them in a post or story
Tagging new followers in a post or story is a great way to get their attention and make them feel welcome. You can tag them in a post you think they’ll be interested in or create a unique story for new followers.
How to welcome new followers on Twitter (X)
Send them a Twitter direct message (DM).
A Twitter DM is a great way to personalise your welcome and make new followers feel special. You can send them a general greeting, thank them for following, and introduce yourself and your brand. You can also offer them a discount or other incentive or ask them a question to start a conversation.
Comment on their tweets.
Another way to welcome new followers is to comment on their tweets; this shows that you’re interested in what they say and that you’re not just after their follow. You can leave a genuine compliment, ask a question, or share your thoughts on their tweet.
Tag them in a tweet
Tagging new followers in a tweet is a great way to get their attention and make them feel welcome. You can tag them in a tweet you think they’ll be interested in or create a unique tweet for new followers.
Create a welcome tweet or thread.
You can also create a dedicated welcome tweet or thread for new followers; this is a great way to introduce yourself and your brand to new followers and tell them what to expect from your account. You can include information about your products or services, your posting schedule, and your call to action.
Use a welcome message.
If you have a business or creator account on Twitter, you can set up a welcome message to be sent automatically to new followers; this is a great way to save time and ensure that all your new followers receive a welcome message.
How to welcome new followers on TikTok
Create a welcome video.
A welcome video is a great way to introduce yourself and your brand to new followers and tell them what to expect from your account. You can include your content type, posting schedule, and call-to-action information. Pin your welcome video to the top of your profile to ensure that new followers see your welcome message as soon as they visit your profile.
Send a direct message (DM).
Are you looking for a more personal way to welcome new followers and to make them feel special? Try sending a direct message. You can send them a general greeting, thank them for following, and introduce yourself and your brand. You can also offer them a discount or other incentive or ask them a question to start a conversation.
Comment on their videos.
Personal comments show that you’re interested in what they say and are not just after their follow. You can leave a genuine compliment, ask a question, or share your thoughts on their video.
Tag them in a video or duet.
Tagging new followers in a video or duet is a great way to get their attention and make them feel welcome. You can tag them in a video you think they’ll be interested in or create a unique video or duet for new followers.
How to welcome new followers on Pinterest
Here are some tips on how to welcome new followers on Pinterest:
Create a welcome board.
A welcome board is a great way to introduce yourself and your brand to new followers and tell them what to expect from your Pinterest account. You can include pins about your products or services, interests, and overall aesthetic.
Pin a welcome image or video.
A welcome video or image is a visual way to welcome new followers and give them a sense of your brand. You can create a custom image or video or use a pin that you think represents you well.
Send a direct message (DM).
A direct message is a more personal way to welcome new followers and to make them feel special. You can send them a general greeting, thank them for following, and introduce yourself and your brand. You can also offer them a discount or other incentive or ask them a question to start a conversation.
Comment on their pins.
Comments show that you’re interested in what they say and are not just after their follow. You can leave a genuine compliment, ask a question, or share your thoughts on their pin.
Tag them in a pin or group board.
Tagging new followers in a pin or group board is a great way to get their attention and make them feel welcome. You can tag them in a pin you think they’ll be interested in or create a special group board for new followers.