At this point, we don’t need to tell you the importance of having (active) social media platforms. In today’s world, not using social media to market your brand is like putting one ad in the bottom corner of a single newspaper and wondering why you’re not getting any calls. Social media marketing is a proven way to understand your audience, drive traffic, and generate leads.
But, now that we know that social media marketing is crucial to any business, the real question is: how do we use it to our advantage? How do we use our social presence to remain top-of-mind, answer questions, and build brand authority? Before you throw your computer across the room, don’t freak out: Anoroc has put together an inclusive how-to guide on creating an awesome social media strategy.
First and foremost, you need to find your voice. Before you can tell the world who you are, you need to know who you are. Are you informative, knowledgeable, and trustworthy within your industry? Or maybe you’re conversational (and sometimes brutal), like Wendy’s now infamous Twitter account. Maybe you’re hip, engaging, and visual, like Starbucks’ aesthetically pleasing Instagram. Or maybe you’re responsive, personal, and helpful, like JetBlue’s acclaimed customer service. Whoever you are, deliver yourself and your brand message with a consistent, coherent, and confident voice.
Provide good, evergreen content. This one is a no-brainer. You need to be posting things that people actually want to see. (Pro tip: Ask yourself if you would want to see the things you’re posting). And since the average person has a very short attention span, this comes in the form of pictures, graphics, and easy-to-read articles. Another hard and fast rule is quality over quantity. Yes, you want to be posting consistently, but you don’t want people unfollowing you because of the dreaded “newsfeed congestion”. Post solid, relative content that’s a combination of promoting yourself and sharing industry information and news. (Just make sure to read the whole article and always give credit where credit is due).
Be up-to-date and current. Social media platforms are always coming out with new features, and it’s important to know what’s in and what’s “so 2016” (which in the digital world may as well be a century ago). Use popular gifs and memes to stay relatable—but don’t overuse them; you don’t want to look like you’re trying too hard. Instagram stories have the option of linking to an online store and are a great way for businesses to promote specific products or giveaways. Facebook Live allows you to interact with your viewers in real time. Twitter increased its character limit from 180 to 240. Content is King (or Queen) and it is EVERYWHERE, and if you’re not taking advantage of new features and innovations, you could get deserted on has-been island.
This is just a small dip into the deep ocean that is social media marketing. We haven’t even touched on scheduling content, engaging the audience, or measuring ROI. (Be on the lookout for more about these topics later). But, by following these few simple tips, you’re well on your way to an integrated, successful social media strategy. And, if you should ever lose your way, shine our logo in the the sky and we’ll fly on over.