The world of social media is often a daunting one. On the face of it, it comes across as quite a simple thing to master. However, when you begin to delve into the specifics, there is a lot more to it.
Judging by the fact you are here you are probably aware of the potential boost effective use of social media can give to your company. Here, we look to break down some key tips to help you navigate the world of social media for your company.
Choosing the right platforms
Most take the approach that more is better. Given it is free, it is easy to think that starting up on all platforms is the best way to increase exposure. However, this is not always a case.
As a small business, you may not have the manpower to actively engage audiences across all networks. In addition, some networks, such as LinkedIn, are focused for business users, whereas networks such as Instagram or Tumblr are more tailored towards younger people, with nearly three quarters of 13 – 17-year olds having an Instagram account.
You will want to make sure you have identified your target audience and selected the most suitable options. This does need to also align with your brands image and goals, if this is not consistent with the business, the company’s identity will become confused.
Focus on visuals
There are a couple of points to focus on here. Firstly, your branding such as profile images, header images and colour schemes need to consistent across all of your channels. Again, this gives customers the image of your company and makes up your identity, customers should see your logo and instantly associate it with your brand.
In addition, when posting on social networks, you will want to try and capture a reader’s attention. Where many companies fail by doing simple text updates or using monotone images, you can stand out by including a colourful, relevant image with your post to really capture the reader’s attention. Taking Facebook as an example, when a user is scrolling through the newsfeed, something needs to capture their attention.
Post regularly
One of the biggest problems small businesses face when running social media is the inability to frequently post.
Modern users consider a company that doesn’t update regularly to be a sign of bigger communication problems, with some even saying they would not deal with a business that does not update their social media regularly. In this instance, it would be better to not have social media at all.
Experiment to find out when your users are engaging with you most, there are also sites that enable you to schedule social media updates. You could in theory schedule an entire month’s worth of updates in an hour, there really is no excuse not to be frequently uploading.
Consistency in your content
As a company, you will need to be consistent with the content you are putting out. To elaborate, you need to make sure, for instance, if you take a particular stance on something that this is consistent going forward on all posts.
For instance, if you are a property company and you disapprove of recent legislation being implemented, you cannot then go ahead and support it in the future, unless you have justified why. Treat the company like a real personality, though try not to be too opinionated on posts, you may ostracise your audience.
Staying consistent will also help to build authority in the field. Sticking to your niche, sharing relevant news and even building your own research in the area will help to build the company as a leader in the field. From a PR point of view, media outlets may begin to share your findings and direct new potential customers towards your site.
Aim to promote yourself
To build some initial traction to your channels, you need to put your company out there. Start by inviting existing customers to connect and engage across your platforms.
Engage with other businesses and people about any manner of topic, getting your account in front of people, regardless of whether they follow or not, will develop brand awareness. Invite people to like your page, the worst thing that can happen is that they decline, just make sure not to repeatedly do this, it may come across as ‘pushy’.
Following the above tips, we are sure that your social media channels will flourish. Make sure to stay consistent and update regularly, engage with customers and find your target audience. You have nothing to lose by delving into social media and you must to stay competitive in your field, so do it now!
