Some businesses are still hesitant to get involved with social
media. Others have social profiles but rarely ever update them.
Utilizing social media not only helps promote your brand and increase
brand loyalty, but it has an impact on your online search presence as
many social signals are now incorporated into the search algorithm of
the major search engines. That being said, you don’t want to dive head
first into social media marketing
without creating a plan first. In order to get the best return on
investment for the time you put into managing your social networks, you
need to be continually engaged. Many businesses set up accounts and then
forget to update them, or leave months in between posts. Here are five
steps to take when embarking on a social media marketing campaign to
help you get the best results across your different social profiles.
1) Strategize
Before you begin any social media marketing, you first need to make a plan. Not all social networks are created equally, and you need to do your research first. If your business requires a lot of visuals, Pinterest may be worth looking into. If you offer educational or informational services, video tutorials on YouTube would be a worthwhile investment too. Weigh your options and look at what networks work best with your business.
2) Post Content That Is Share-worthy
The most powerful aspect of social media is its ability to share information across multiple channels in a short amount of time. You want to make sure that the content you post is shareable. Think about all of the videos that have “gone viral” and have been viewed millions of times, across the world. Well crafted, informational content will be shared by your followers which helps boost your influence on the web.
3) Keep It Going
Social profiles have prominence in branded search. When people look for more information about your brand, they’ll check out your social profiles to see what other people are saying. If your last update was a few months back, it not only looks unprofessional but it reflects poorly on your current followers as you aren’t engaging with them.
4) Be An Active Member of Your Community
Social media is a great platform for social networking. Use your branded social profiles to share content from other industry leaders. They may in turn share your content down the road to their set of followers which expands your reach. You can also use social media to connect with prospects that can lead to new business opportunities.
5) Engage
Social media is another way to communicate with your audience. Your audience also uses social media to communicate with you. Instead of writing an email or filling out a form on your customer service page, many people will post or Tweet comments, questions, or even concerns on your social media page. Take the time to respond to these inquiries. Others will see your response which demonstrates that you are actively engaged with your customers.
1) Strategize
Before you begin any social media marketing, you first need to make a plan. Not all social networks are created equally, and you need to do your research first. If your business requires a lot of visuals, Pinterest may be worth looking into. If you offer educational or informational services, video tutorials on YouTube would be a worthwhile investment too. Weigh your options and look at what networks work best with your business.
2) Post Content That Is Share-worthy
The most powerful aspect of social media is its ability to share information across multiple channels in a short amount of time. You want to make sure that the content you post is shareable. Think about all of the videos that have “gone viral” and have been viewed millions of times, across the world. Well crafted, informational content will be shared by your followers which helps boost your influence on the web.
3) Keep It Going
Social profiles have prominence in branded search. When people look for more information about your brand, they’ll check out your social profiles to see what other people are saying. If your last update was a few months back, it not only looks unprofessional but it reflects poorly on your current followers as you aren’t engaging with them.
4) Be An Active Member of Your Community
Social media is a great platform for social networking. Use your branded social profiles to share content from other industry leaders. They may in turn share your content down the road to their set of followers which expands your reach. You can also use social media to connect with prospects that can lead to new business opportunities.
5) Engage
Social media is another way to communicate with your audience. Your audience also uses social media to communicate with you. Instead of writing an email or filling out a form on your customer service page, many people will post or Tweet comments, questions, or even concerns on your social media page. Take the time to respond to these inquiries. Others will see your response which demonstrates that you are actively engaged with your customers.