When consumers have an abundance of choices about where to spend their money, it’s crucial for businesses to leverage social media platforms to capture their attention. When social media is used with a smart strategy, it can work wonders for a business. Here are four tips to get started.
1) Define your business goals
Social media requires planning. Before jumping on Twitter or Facebook, determine exactly what you want social media to do for your business. Are you seeking to establish a celebrity spokesperson for your brand or grab the attention of an industry thought leader? Do you simply want to drive more traffic into your store? It’s important to understand your business objectives to develop a solid social media strategy.
2) Study the competition
You would certainly research competitors before launching a company or pursuing a business opportunity. The same goes for social media. Pinpoint the messages your competition is currently conveying on their social platforms. Are there certain trends or topics the major players in your market seem to be following on Twitter, for example? Conducting your competitive research will better inform your plan and help with efficiency when it’s time to execute it.
3) You don’t have to be everywhere
The digital world moves at a rapid pace, and new social platforms launch all the time. Before you jump on board the next one, determine if that new platform even makes sense for your business goals. Your competitors may have the funds to hire a staff of five just for social media, but if you run a smaller operation, it’s critical to allocate your resources to areas that can potentially yield a greater return for your business. Your goal should always be productivity.
4) You do need to join the conversation
Once you’ve settled on the right social platforms for your business, make a commitment to be proactive. It’s not enough to just post content and expect followers to come. Take the time to retweet a good comment from a user. Post a call to action on Facebook asking your followers’ thoughts on a business-related issue. Social media is about interaction and making your brand’s personality shine in an authentic way.
Social media is an effective marketing tool for any business. With a well thought-out strategy and collaboration from your team, it can take a business to the next level – for a lot less money than many other marketing options.
planning, efficiency, collaboration, business, productivity