No matter where your business is in terms of its stage, from seasoned company to brand new startup, you have to find time to devote to social media. It just isn’t possible to ignore social media — it needs to be a major component of your online marketing strategy. From getting more Instagram followers to creating a brand on Snapchat, social media is crucial.
There are so many benefits that you can leverage, from using it as a platform to engage with your customers, to attracting new eyes to your business, social media gives you plenty of benefits, making it worth the time and effort to plan and execute a strategy.
While a lot of your social media marketing strategy will depend on what you are selling and what your goals are for your campaign efforts, there are some universal tips that apply to all businesses. Here are three essential tips that everyone using social media for their business should pay attention to.
1. Focus on the top platforms that are right for your business
Social media marketing can be very overwhelming, especially if you try to do it all. The truth is that your business doesn’t need to be on every single social media platform. In fact, if you try to participate in all of them you will be spread so thin that you will miss opportunities marketing where your customers aren’t found.
“You have to pick wisely. I would suggest focusing on two social media platforms that you know your target market is active on. For us, we would be wasting time and money if we were using Pinterest or Snapchat to market. Our target just isn’t found there. Instead, we focus on social media networks that we know are beneficial for our growth,” explains Jeff Djevdet of Speed Property Buyers.
Facebook and Instagram are the two leading social platforms, with massive users, so there is a good chance you can leverage these two options. Their paid ads also give you access to the most comprehensive targeting options.
2. Understand social media is now the primary customer service channel
You can’t just think of social media as a way to drive sales for your business. It’s now the most widely used form of customer support and if you don’t understand this and adapt it’s going to end up hurting your business.
“When a customer has a question they now turn to social media because they know they are going to get a quick response. Nobody wants to pick up the phone or write an email. They want instant answers and since they are tapped into social media all day it’s convenient for them. As a business owner you need to accept this and make sure your customer service uses social media as one of its arms,” says Dr. Brett Moore, DDS, Smile Design Dentistry.
The key is organization, and a tool like Hootsuite allows you to manage all of your social media posting and massages in one dashboard. It’s highly recommended you use something similar to keep on top of everything. This will prevent anything from slipping through the communication cracks.
3. Use social media as a way to highlight your company’s culture and personality
Your followers on social media don’t want to see a feed of ads and promo offers from your business. That’s not why they are following your business. They want to see special information related to your business or industry that they can’t find elsewhere.
“Use your social media as a way to highlight your company culture and don’t be afraid to show a little personality. Social media allows you to connect to people interested in your business on a much more personal level,” suggests Jonathan Rolande of House Buy Fast.
You can also repurpose and re-share content that is relevant to your industry. Become a source for breaking news and information – this provides extra value for your followers.
