Any business looking to connect with customers in 2017 can no longer ignore social media. Social media can be a taboo word for old school advertisers and business owners alike, who may see it as just a frivolous add on to marketing packages. But the fact is that everyone is on social media. From millennials that are glued to their phones to your grandma getting on Facebook to stay connected with the family, the potential reach of social media is huge.
Like everything in life, there is a right way and a there is a very, very wrong way. Social media is no different. It gives you enough rope to either save yourself or hang yourself. If a business can properly leverage social media, the ROI can be huge. Conversely, if a business fails to use social media properly, they may find themselves left in the dust as the steady march of progress passes them by.
Since we have already established that your business can’t afford to not be on social media, let’s look at how to get the most out of your social media accounts.
Choose the right platform
There are a ton of social media platforms out there, so the key is to figure out which ones are best suited for your business and which ones your target audience are on. If you are unsure, you can never go wrong with the Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram combination. These three are the most popular social media platforms right now.
Use hashtags
Hashtags can help direct potential followers to your pages. Posts that include hashtags have a much better chance of being seen and reposted. When using Twitter, one to two hashtags will work. Use more on Instagram and please, make them relevant to your business or post.
Photos
Post pictures− they are way more interesting than just text posts. A good photo will grab a user’s attention and draw them in and help them decide whether or not they want to interact with your post.
Interact with your audience
One of the biggest things about social media is that it gives you the chance to interact with your audience in real time. If someone has a complaint you can address it or apologize right away, and it is a great way to head off any potential crisis. Likewise, you can build brand loyalty by responding to positive feedback. Having a reputation of replying and interacting on social media will increase customer satisfaction because users know that you’re listening to them.
Be interesting
Nobody wants to get on social media just to read what companies are saying, they want to be entertained. Social media is a platform to connect and interact with your followers, not to just spew out sales messages.
On top of all of these considerations, you need to promote your posts. It used to be that companies could get by with organic posts reaching their desired audience, but social media companies have to make money, so they favor paid and promoted posts. Do not let this discourage you. Unlike traditional media, you only pay when users interact with your posts. In other words, every dollar you put into social media yields a direct interaction.
We hear people say, “It’s Facebook, how hard can it be?” all the time. The fact of the matter is that social media marketing requires more time and effort than using social media on your own personal behalf. For more information or to get started with a social media package from Transformation Marketing, contact us.
Happy new year!
-Matt