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Amanda Luzzader
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Worldwide usage of social media has been around for a little less than 20 years, but in that time it has become a ubiquitous and necessary tool for nearly every kind of business and organization. Facebook was launched in 2004, and by 2018, nearly 97 percent of all Fortune 500 companies were using social media to improve themselves. The theme of this three-part article is that you really should be using social media to improve your organization, and if you’re already doing that, you could be doing better.
We’ve dispensed 15 advice tidbits in the first and second parts of this article, and now we’ll round third base and give you a final 10.
16. Get to know your followers.
Hopefully, some of your customers are also followers of yours, but all of your followers may not be customers. The online news site SocialMediaToday recommends that you change that by getting to know your followers. Follow them, note their comments and posts, and even reach out to them to see what they do online and why they’re interested in your social media presence. This will not only help you turn your existing followers into customers, it will help you find new customers/followers.
17. Incorporate current events.
According to a 2021 article by Tatler Magazine, the number-one reason people use social media is to find news and keep up with current events. Incorporating news items that are relevant or adjacent to your service or products invite engagement from new and existing followers.
18. Choose the right social media platforms.
In another tip from SocialMediaToday (which ties in neatly to the previous tip of getting to know your followers), be aware that not all social media platforms are equal, and some of them may not suit your needs. It’s not just a matter of picking one you like and running with it. SocialMediaToday says ask yourself: “Is your target audience active in the network? Do you have the resources to create the content required for the specific channel?” If you know your followers, you’ll know where they are on social media and you can be there for them.
19. Create a content bank.
SocialMediaToday suggests that you create a stash of source content (photos, graphics, text, ideas) that will help you quickly and conveniently create fresh content for your platforms rather than re-creating the wheel every time you post.
20. Create a content schedule.
With your social media audit complete and your social media source content bank growing, you can analyze what times of day, week, and year are best to post. Many platforms will allow scheduled content, which can make your social media efforts more efficient. Scheduled posts create a routine for your followers to anticipate, but mixing it up with scheduled and unscheduled posts will maintain variety and keep your social media presence fresh and nimble.
21. Don’t just promote yourself.
Medium writer Tassia Agatowski has a tip you might find counterintuitive: don’t just talk about yourself all the time. Agatowski says, “Customers will get bored and lose faith in your brand if you’re constantly posting about how great you are, and how great your products are. It sounds fake.” But Agatowski doesn’t stop there. She’s got a long list of things you can do on your social media that isn’t strictly self-promotion:
-User-generated content
-Giveaways
-Behind-the-scenes snapshots
-National days (e.g., National Donut Day, Mental Health Awareness Month)
-How-to guides and tutorials
-Blog posts
-Polls
-Quizzes
-Games (you can embed these to some social media platforms)
-Infographics
-Interviews
-Things that inspire you (books, films, art, music, other business owners)
-Quotes
-AMA sessions (ask me anything)
-Partnerships
-Responses to local or national events
-Milestones (1000 followers? Share it!)
22. Use paid promotions (but…)
Agatowski says that paying for social media boosts is a good investment because with social media ads and promos, you can precisely target the people you want as followers and customers. However, she says, it can also be a waste of money. Agatowski has this to say: “You need to know what you want to achieve (your goal), be it more followers (brand awareness), more purchases (or conversions), customer feedback, or survey responses… the list goes on.” Most importantly, says Agatowski, “Don’t. Buy. Your. Audience. You’ll end up with a mixture of fake accounts (bots) and real people who would never buy from your brand.”
23. Use competitions, discounts, and giveaways.
Blogger Agatowski recommends the use of giveaways and discounts, but only if you can verify that they will lead to some benefit for your platform and/or business. Competition and polls and AMAs should funnel followers into buying your product, signing up for your services, or sharing information that your organization can use.
24. Post user-generated content.
User-generated content (UGC) is anything that comes from your followers or customers. UGC is very trustworthy because your followers don’t have to take your word exclusively. This can take the form of links to followers’ posts, testimonials, user photos of your products or services, and reviews. Agatowski suggests that a giveaway contest might involve user-submitted photos or essays about your services or products.
25. Respond, respond, respond.
Always respond to your followers, even when they don’t have good things to say. Meaningful and sincere responses to complaints, for example, can turn the most critical detractor into a loyal repeat customer. This needn’t mean obsequiously thanking every follower who gives you a thumbs-up, but answering questions and resolving concerns should be a primary social media goal.
Sources:
https://online.maryville.edu/blog/evolution-social-media/
https://bettermarketing.pub/18-social-media-tips-for-small-businesses-7d302886de9b
https://www.tatlerasia.com/culture/arts/ph-top-10-reasons-people-use-social-media
https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/a-10-step-checklist-for-social-media-strategy-success/517134/
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