Social Media in Minutes a Day
posted on by WebSolutions
Whether you like it or not, people are probably talking about your business and your products online – and if you don’t inject yourself into that conversation, you risk your brand becoming whatever they say it is. Let that soak in for a second and then ask yourself how comfortable you are with that.
With a full slate of marketing responsibilities, the last thing you may be thinking about is adding one more thing to manage. But with a well-developed strategy detailing messaging, target audiences, and tactics for growing your base of followers, you can reinforce your brand message and build partnerships that can boost your bottom line in minutes a day.
Just remember that it won’t happen overnight. If it does, that’s great, but building those connections through social channels takes involvement and a commitment to building and cultivating relationships.
The Set Up
Before you dive head-first into social media for your business, it’s important to understand what you’re working with. Be honest with yourself about your knowledge of social media and if you don’t already have them, create personal accounts on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to some blogs. Doing so will give you a feel for the type of interaction taking place online and get your gears turning about how to make it work on a professional level.
- Don’t go all in – Choose the platform that makes the most sense for your business and master that before adding another. When you’ve established a familiarity with social media, you’ll be far more comfortable choosing a format you feel can deliver your message and one you can commit to. Once you’ve mastered one, you can consider adding another. Keep in mind that the more channels you have to monitor and engage, the greater your time commitment will be.
- Create a social calendar – Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Schedule regular meetings with your social media channel(s) and stick to them. If you tell yourself that you’ll check it when you have time, chances are that you won’t find the time. Your consistency will be rewarded with increased interaction from friends/followers.
- Converse – Social media is a conversation so don’t just post new content; engage fans/followers by responding to posts. The feedback will make your company seem responsive and make the fan/follower feel appreciated, helping to build brand loyalty.
- Be a fan – When appropriate, be a fan of your fans and comment on their pages. This will expose you to their network of friends (who likely share similar interests). It’s the fastest way to grow your fan base and your social circle.
Clocking In
Once the groundwork is complete, you can create a plan for daily execution of the social media necessities.
- Read and respond to fan/follower posts. You don’t have to post new information everyday but because posts are dated, unanswered comments can make it seem like your page isn’t being tended to. Making the time to respond, even if it’s just saying “thanks,” will show that the page is being monitored and your company/organization is listening.
- Post fresh content at least twice a week and keep the timing regular so fans/followers begin to expect it. Content doesn’t have to be related to your company/organization; it can be a link to interesting industry news or posting questions to elicit feedback.
- Social relationships work best when they’re reciprocal. Take a few minutes to visit other pages that you’re connected to and offer feedback. You’ll find that your efforts will be returned. Building partnerships with other similar businesses through social networking sites can lead to additional revenue for your business.
Stick with it
Social media is part of the new marketing reality and should be part of your long-term marketing strategy. If you’re not sure if social media is right for you or you’re just not seeing the results you want, don’t get frustrated. Give us a call to learn more about tactics and strategies that can impact your business.