Social Media Habits to Make or Break Your Online Marketing Presence
#1 Start with the tough stuff
This is actually pretty good advice, which applies to most things in life. Procrastination is inevitable during a project, but starting with the more difficult and time consuming tasks at the start of your day means you’ll have more energy and motivation to get them done! When you’re finished, revel in the achievement of completing those longer tasks.
#2 Set clear, achievable goals
What are you using social media for? Maybe it’s to get your brand out there, maybe it’s to improve the level of your customer service, or maybe it’s to promote a new product.
Once you’ve got this figured out, list the steps you need to get there. However small! Don’t miss anything out. Make your timescale realistic, too. Setting unattainable goals will lead to discouragement, which can be the biggest block to motivation. We’re not suggesting you lower your expectations, but instead be practical so you won’t stumble at the first hurdle!
#3 Connect with your followers and customers every day – but don’t be too pushy!
Building strong relationships with your followers is important! One suggestion to kick things off is to give more than you receive. Reply, comment, like and give suggestions or advice to your customers. Let them know that you’re not an automaton; be friendly and personable. And have fun with it!
Social media is in constant flux. Recently we spoke about the release of long awaited Facebook reactions buttons. It’s all very well knowing these changes are coming, but it’s no good if you don’t have a think about how this affects you and your social media campaigns. Keep an eye on social media developments, and then adapt! The reactions buttons for example could present a great way for you to interact with more “passive” users – those who communicate through emoji, for example a younger audience.
Make sure you plug your services or your product, but don’t overrun your follower’s feeds with sales messages or they will soon tune out.
#4 List go-to resources for constant fresh content – and never get stuck for what to say!
I found a great article by Emma Featherstone on how to curate successful online content. She quotes Kim Willis, who directs content strategy for Cedar, as suggesting two key questions to ask yourself about your followers! These are:
“What are they [the customer] interested in and passionate about? and what does your business have authority in? If a topic ticks both those boxes, it’s a good start.”
Worried things might be getting stale? Ask your followers what they’d like to see! Including them in decisions is a great way to build a relationship with customers, who will feel listened to and a part of something!
And now for some DON’TS for optimum social media management!
#1 Don’t choose the Big 3 social media sites and expect great results simply because they’re popular!
To get the most out of social media for your business you must choose the platforms that fit best. Facebook certainly has the most users, but it’s not the ideal sales platform. Remember that social media is expected to be social!! Got more to say? Connect your blog to your social media sites. But approach with caution! Make sure that your content transfers well to each platform, and tailor it accordingly. There’s no one size fits all answer to using social media.
#2 Don’t let notifications slip through the net!
If your customers are going to the trouble of mentioning your business, whether by giving reviews of your products or asking questions, make sure you see them and respond quickly.
Consider setting up Google Alerts for your notifications, so that when customers mention your brand you are the first to know. There are many platforms similar to Google Alerts which allow you to receive notifications of interaction in the most convenient way for you. For example, If This Then That allows you to integrate different apps so that whatever you use to stay organised is connected to all of you social media activity.
# 3 Finally, don’t let social media become a time vacuum!
Be disciplined. If you follow tip #1 “Start With the Tough Stuff” you can then move on to making sure you are organised with your content curation. Set realistic timings for each task. Begin from the very bottom of your notifications and work your way up – this way you won’t miss a trick. At the same time, don’t let notifications, commenting and liking take up too much of your social media time. Making and sourcing great content is a time consuming part of the process so make sure you factor in the time to do it well!
