Over the last ten years, social media has expanded from a few main platforms to numerous social sites that combine content sharing and organic activity to create engagement between users across the world. Since its development, social media has gone from a place where people interact, to a tool for independent to large businesses and corporations to utilize for marketing, advertising, and customer service purposes. Like any other business tool, social media platforms are best used with a strategic approach to maximize their potential. Consider some of these tips to improve your business’s social media strategy:
Create a Brand Identity
Whether your company is a small startup or an international corporation, your brand is something you want to have established. Social networks are a melting pot of different brands, businesses, and organizations; it can be easy to get mixed in with other companies similar to yours. For that reason, you’ll want to make sure your brand’s identity is compelling and strong enough to stand out.
Take a Multichannel Approach
While there are more popular networks, such as Facebook and Instagram, don’t limit your online presence to just one or a few. Platforms are constantly changing and updating; sites like Facebook have gone from just a place to share and connect with friends and family, to a place for sponsored ads, e-commerce, and business opportunities. Utilize each networks unique attributes and capabilities.
Develop a Content Plan
A major way to engage with an audience is publishing content that speaks to their interests. Knowing your audience is a critical part of this. Develop and publish content that caters to your audience, and keeps them engaged in your brand. Consider a well-known chef; their brand is the center of their success, and social media normally plays a large role. A target audience may be interested in different recipes, cooking techniques, and other culinary related articles. Always focus your content on your target audience. Additionally, it’s also important to remember your content should always be relevant, high-quality work, that is easy to understand by the general population.
Engage With Your Audience
Organic engagement is an essential part of maintaining your business’s online presence, and works hand in hand with the content you post. Engage with your audience and build a connection. Comment back to followers or consumers with answers to their questions or concerns. Share content that could be relevant to your brand or your audience. Keep everyone up to date with events, news, and other things you may want to announce.
Maintain Consistent Relevance & Engagement
One of the things many people tend to forget is social networking needs to be consistent in order to maintain success. Different profiles need different levels of attention. While a profile like Facebook may do well with three to five posts a week, with a profile like Twitter, the more tweets and activity, the better. Maintaining consistent engagement also helps your content stay at the top of social algorithms. Commenting, liking, full-on engagement is necessary to keep profiles relevant and cut through all the social media noise.