Social media can often be a minefield for businesses to try and navigate correctly. It is often surprising what will work for some companies but at the same time will be completely useless to others. Spring is often seen as a time to rejuvenate, whether that be yourself, home or business. If it is the latter, a simple way to do so is with a social campaign to reach your desired audience.
Having worked in digital marketing for a number of years now, the one thing I can safely say is that social media is must for ANY business. It doesn’t matter if you’re a multinational conglomerate or simple school bake sale, there is a channel for you and a message for you to shout about, but there are a few things for you to remember when using social media for business. We’ll start with the DON’Ts, things you should avoid at all costs to build a successful campaign.
Don’t rely on one channel
Whilst a certain channel may portray your business better than most, it is important to remember that they all have strengths and weaknesses. Whilst platforms like Pinterest and Instagram are the fastest growing, you’re limited to purely image based content, which can be poor in promoting case studies or press releases.
Don’t be pushy
Remember that everyone on your network will be able to see what you write. You can put people off with over-promotion, remember that social media sites are about interaction and discovery, so people don’t necessarily want to be sold to constantly. Allow your customers to discover your products and services by almost ‘tricking’ them into visiting your site or store. There is no harm in re-posting updates from your industry to show your audience that you are actively interested in your market.
Don’t forget to thank people
People want to see a real face on your organisation and not some robotic marketing tool. By thanking people who engage with your posts and promote to their own network you can appear to be a business that genuinely cares about the message you portray.
Now for some DO’s.
Do have a plan before you start and adjust accordingly
Make sure you now what you’re posting on what channel and when. This way you know what works and what doesn’t. Create yourself measurable goals and if you don’t hit them, adjust them!
Do post engaging and varied content
Vary your posts to keep people interested in what you have to say. Share posts from other people to show your interested in what is being said online and post things purely to engage with your audience. Remember that well received content will drive higher user engagement and subsequently increase your audience reach. Look to increase the scope of your posts by utilising hashtags and tagging users where appropriate also.
Do keep trying (Don’t give up)
A mixture of a do and don’t but important none the less. Social media is an ever-changing portal to your customers as nearly everyone uses at least one channel. Remember that your audience is out there somewhere and it just might take you some time (or some posts) to find and convert them.
Here at The Studio 4 we have a wide range of social media services that we can tailor to your exact specification. Whatever your goal is through social media, let us help you reach and engage with your audience effectively.