Social Media: The Basics
Whether we’re ready or not, social media has become a business standard in our day and age. One would be hard-pressed to spot a successful company that does not secure an online presence in one form or another. While one could make the case that such heavy hitters would still survive without leveraging social media, smaller companies would certainly not stand a chance. Simply put, if you plan on starting a business, you will need social media to market your business in today’s tech-savvy economic world. Here is our list of the best practices for small-medium businesses.
Build a solid identity
Focus is key. Before diving into anything, it’s best to know exactly what type of audience you intend to reach out to. What naturally follows is a clear mission and purpose to broadcast to the masses. Once a direction is properly established, it’s time to set these ideas in motion. Give a lot of thought into developing your profile details. After all, it’s what defines your brand. Be sure to make it clear and precise so clients will know exactly what to expect of your services. To further solidify your brand identity, these descriptions should be consistent across all social media platforms. Despite the different marketing uses for each medium, they should all eventually be traced back to one source: you!
Don’t neglect the basics
Often times, seemingly small details prove to make the biggest difference. So before diving deep into statistics and sophisticated data-processing apps, make sure that you have covered the absolute fundamentals. For example, newcomers should not overlook the importance of having a good social media handle. In this case, ‘good’ usually translates to ‘short and sweet’. Therefore, your social media handle should not only be intriguin but also easy to read. The ultimate goal is to make your brand stand out. Also, make a point to secure as many social media platforms as possible, even if you won’t end up using all of them. Remember that you need all the publicity you can get, which can be reflected from your public relations strategy. Last, but certainly not least, don’t forget to leave your contact information! Email addresses and phone numbers are absolutely essential. A successful business should be one that is easily reached.
Socialize!
It’s called social media for reason. Sure, announcing information is a great way of spreading the word, but engagement is the other half of the equation. Make a habit of getting out there and interacting with as many users as possible. There’s no time to be shy or passive (especially considering you are safe behind a computer screen). Devise a list of keywords pertaining to your brand, then scout for users who share similar interests. Always acknowledge the users who give you the time of day, for they are your potential clients. A follow for a follow, a like for a like. If you’re feeling bold, it’s a great idea to plan a social media campaign. This means in addition to your regular updates, you should make a conscious effort to attract heaps of attention to a single thoughtfully organized event. This is the time to be creative. Keep note that the most successful campaigns are entertaining and feature some degree of community involvement. Of course, luck has a lot to do with achieving viral marketing, but as the old saying goes: fortune favors the bold.
Be entertaining
There must surely be something inherently fun and exciting about your brand’s premise. Take advantage of these particular traits and use them to craft a fun personality on social media. Let it be known that not all corporations are soulless, manipulative bean-counters! This includes tweeting a witty and light-hearted remark when the time calls for it, sharing a funny meme relevant to the topic, or uploading charming photos of your recent company outing. Of course, this does not mean you should throw professionalism out of the window, but rather that humor should always be used tastefully and within reason. Don’t ever let fun get in the way of proper grammar. At the end of the day, humans are generally casual by nature, so acting in accordance is an effective way to build their trust. Being entertaining on Twitter also increases the likelihood of getting re-tweets. Can you imagine being re-tweeted by someone with over a million followers?
Finally, the most important thing to note is…
Consistency is the name of the game
Unless you are expecting a miracle, the reality is that a solid fan base does not happen overnight. The good news is that hard work almost always yields great results. Maintaining a healthy stream of activity indicates good work ethics and leaves a nice impression on your potential clients. Constant activity can be viewed as an indirect invitation to follow your page because it signals to the user that they will always be updated in a timely manner. When it comes down to it, small-to-medium businesses just need to follow these aforementioned simple guidelines. Unfortunately, those expecting quick results often give up before the payoff arrives.
As a smaller business operating in today’s economic client, it’s vital to be at the cusp of the digital marketing forefront. Are you ready?