Social media removed the barrier between companies and customers. As its success continues to soar, so does its importance as a marketing tool. Recorded research shows that 83% of marketers consider social media to be important in the progression of their business. Furthermore, a staggering 74% of consumers rely on social networks to guide their purchasing decisions. Consequently, the ‘persona’ that your business develops on these platforms is becoming increasingly significant. Much like how we all adopt a heightened professional identity for ourselves within the working environment, it is crucial that this is replicated through a distinctive social media persona in order to stand out as a brand.
Avoiding feeds of endless company news and coupons and begging followers to share or retweet their posts, companies with a successful social media persona are providing engaging, intimate content strategy. After all, this will attract a larger audience, increasing the likelihood of fulfilling your original goal and getting your messages being shared!
Here are some key points to consider when using social media to market your business:
Be positive
It’s that age old aphorism ‘it’s not just what you say, it’s the way you say it’, emphasising that content and tone go hand in hand. Keep the two of these positive. No one wants to read negative or slanderous updates focusing on where you feel your competitors are making mistakes, or where you believe changes could be made. It looks unprofessional and can diminish your online reputation. Discuss the endeavours of your company with optimism, or draw upon relevant news stories that are relevant to your business industry.
Be relevant
Ensure all your posts and updates are relevant to your business and audience. We all like a video of a panda doing cartwheel as much as the next person, but if you’re trying to market a serious brand, this may not do you many favours. Keep up to date with influential names, as well as news stories and events that affect your company. This way you will be perceived as a progressive, reliable and knowledgeable brand.
Be interesting
This is partly to do with the nature of what you’re posting, but also the format and presentation of content. To put it bluntly, don’t post things that are boring; social media is quick, busy and constant. Your post could easily drown in the crowded stream of other posts, so you don’t want to be posting something if it isn’t going to grab the immediate attention of your audience.
In terms of the format, do some research on your audiences’ preferred type of content. Research shows that the ratio of views to share in terms of Facebook posts is 9:1, so take a look at the information your audience is sharing or retweeting. Is there a high volume of videos, or infographics, or articles? Take this on board when determining what you should post, because once you have shared something, the responsibility is passed to your audience to continue sharing in order to further promote your brand.
Be helpful
It is becoming increasingly common for customers to publically air praise (as well as criticism) through social media channels. They’re easily accessible, and due to their public nature, consumers feel they are more likely to get an immediate response. Make sure you live up to this perception and aim to reply efficiently. This may be by rectifying any problems the customer is having, or simply thanking them for a kind post. Acknowledging such contact will assist in strengthening the reputation of your brand’s social media reputation.
Here at Bigwave Media we use social media as a way of engaging and informing our customers, as well as promoting the services we offer. For further information and guidance on how you can incorporate social media as a cost-effective way of targeting your audience, contact us or follow this link.