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Social Media is a powerful tool for your business. There's no point in denying that. It’s a great way to connect with current and potential customers but it could also make you feel like you’re trying to empty the ocean with a teaspoon. It is easy to feel like no-one truly cares about what you have to say and that your social media efforts are going unnoticed.
If you’re like most business owners and marketers, you’d already have business profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. However, to really make the most out of these social media platforms, you’ll need to know how to use them to your advantage.
Here’s 5 tips to boost your existing strategies and make you social media-savvy in using it effectively for your business.
1. Understand your Audience
There are countless social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube and so many more, depending on a global or country-specific target audience. Attempting to keep up with all these channels can be an overwhelming task.
This is where you select a few social networks that provide a good opportunity to connect with your target audience. Audience profiling will help you to understand the customer base you want to market your product or service to. The nature of your business and industry will determine where you’ll find your audience. If you’re a fashion or beauty retailer, then Instagram or TikTok would be a good platform for you. If you need to reach a professional audience, then LinkedIn would be preferred.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you need to limit yourself to one social media platform. It’s a matter of being selective and putting your effort on the most relevant sites, in order to maximize your efficiency and gain results.
2. Implement a Social Media Plan
Fix a routine of planning a week’s to a month's worth of posts ahead of time. It will help keep you consistent with content posting, and show that you’re staying available to your audience. Tools like HubSpot or Later.com are great for keeping a schedule and automatically posts content on your behalf.
On top of that you should craft various messages that will showcase your brand well, including using various graphic formats for advertisements to appeal to different customers.
3. Be Authentic
Be real with your audience. Let them know what you personally think - in terms of your product and brand. You may also share backstories and history behind how your brand came about.
It may backfire if you purposefully try to make everything picture-perfect, as it may come off as fake to your audience. People cherish honesty and transparency, so remember to share and post things that genuinely interest your brand and your community.
4. Engage With & Be Attentive to your Customers
It’s safe to say that customer service on social media platforms play a huge role in first impressions for new customers. This can be intimidating to businesses that are not used to offering online support and although it’s a challenge, it’s also a major opportunity to stand out.
How you offer customer service online and offline leaves a mark, be it through reviews or word of mouth. This visibility demonstrates your company’s commitment to high-quality service. Your customers want their queries and input to be valued, so show that you care by giving them some of your time. Social media customer service definitely contributes to improving your company’s reputation.
5. Promote, Monitor & Protect your Content
When we say promote, it means that you follow the 60/30/10 rule:
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60% relevant, third-party industry information;
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30% your own blogs to demonstrate your industry thought leadership;
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10% direct content offers.
Any more than 10% of direct content offers might seem too sales-y and could actually cause leads to click out of your site.
Make sure to regularly review your website, feeds, and pages that discuss your industry, product, or service. Look for posts that mention your company. Respond to comments and complaints, using them as opportunities to engage, build trust, grow your brand, and collect market research. If you pay attention, you can get ahead of potential problems.
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