Republished with permission of Comms Dealer
First published in Comms Dealer Feb 2015, p.12
We really hope you have enjoyed our series of social media marketing articles. Over the last few issues we have discussed the various platforms and how important they are for a strong presence and business growth in the channel.
This month, we will focus on what you really should and shouldn’t do on social media. While some things might sound like common sense, business growth can at times distract you from keeping your social platforms in check.
Make sure your social media profiles are entirely completed. We have seen many companies, even large corporations, miss out on small and not-so-small details when creating their profile. Would you read a book with a missing last chapter? We wouldn’t, so don’t expect your customers, partners or future opportunities to either.
Always be professional, while keeping in mind your business’ personality. You have to be active and engaging but don’t forget to stick to business basics. At the same time, don’t bore anyone, have a personality. After all, you are dealing with people on social media. It’s important to understand your tone of voice and what your audience wants to hear and what you want them to hear.
Be transparent about who you really are and what you project – don’t jump on a bandwagon just because ‘the hashtag is trending’ or ‘the video went viral on YouTube’. It doesn’t bode well if you have no authority or a valid point to make on the topic. So keep it honest and people will respect you for that.
Check your grammar and spelling – need we say more? Mistakes happen, but you should at all times try and convey your message in the correct form. No one likes having to struggle to understand a status, or even worse, be shouted at in CAPS.
Auto-messages, automated tweets and replies – as much as they might help you out with time management, they can also grate users the wrong way. Less automation is better as it drives the sincerity of your activity. Having an expert agency with a community manager is a safe bet when it comes to social.
Match the content with the network you are acting on – Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are intrinsically different and they work towards different business goals. From that perspective, you should avoid pushing the same content on all your platforms.
And speaking of content, quality is key. The same applies for your followers and fan base. While it might be easy to fall into the trap of acquiring your following through various, let’s say (a very dark) grey-area tactics, organic and natural growth will serve your purpose efficiently in the long term. Results will shine through in the end, if you do it correctly.
Business people are still consumers at the end of the day and know how to get the most out of their social media that is relevant to them. You and your business can reach your customers, partners and new opportunities by making sure you engage correctly and with the right tools.
We’ve helped brands, big and small, grow their social presence and create engaging content across multiple platforms while building a solid, reliable and creative strategy. If you feel like you are ready to push your business forward and establish dominance in the market, feel free to get in touch.
