Working as a social media strategist for the past eight years has given me an opportunity to work with many clients that take social media seriously and have put processes in place to facilitate success. It has also given me ample occasion to deal with businesses that fail to acknowledge that social media marketing requires commitment and the right organizational mindset.
Do you want to position your company for all of the benefits social media can deliver?
Let’s look at some no-nonsense ways you can accomplish that.
#1. Realize there’s no substitute for a sound strategy.
Brands that have built a large and engaged following didn’t do so by accident. They strategize and have a plan for their social media channels. They have taken the time to understand what’s important, interesting, and entertaining to their audience.
Below, I’ve listed examples of what an effective social media plan for your business will address:
- The audience needs and expectations on each platform your company uses
- Types of content your brand will post on those platforms
- Content themes to guide the kinds of posts you will create
- Frequency of updates
- Roles and responsibilities of team members and other parties that will manage your social media channels
- Tools that will be used to automate and schedule social media updates
- Policies for responding to mentions, comments, and messages—positive and negative
A content calendar is a tool that can help you organize the social media content you create to align with your strategic protocol. You may decide to plan your content a week, a month, a quarter, or a year in advance—in all cases, a content calendar will help you stay active on your channels even during the most hectic of times.
#2. Make sure your social media management team has mastered your brand’s voice.
Whoever has the responsibility of crafting your social media content and responding to followers should have a firm understanding of your brand’s voice. If your content and interactions are off-brand, your social media presence might confuse customers or drive them away.
One idea for keeping social media managers on track is to have a style guide for your company. A style guide can contain rules for any aspects of communication you want to be handled consistently by all who represent your company (customer service, marketing, public relations, sales, etc.).
A style guide might include what I’ve listed below and much more:
- How you want your business name presented (for example, "ABC Electronics, Inc" vs. "ABC Electronics:")
- Hyphenation of certain words (such as "well being" vs. "well-being")
- Compound word preferences (like "health care" vs. "healthcare")
- Taboo words (those that you never want to be used within your posts)
- The tone of your company (such as casual, earthy, witty, prestigious, high-tech, etc.)
Before you task someone with tending to your social media, make sure you’ve given them your style guide and encourage them to ask you for direction when they’re unsure whether proposed content will accurately reflect your brand voice.
#3. Be approachable and real.
It’s called “social” media for a reason. Brands that come off as out of touch with or uninterested in their followers put themselves at a competitive disadvantage. Make your brand presence more than just a talking logo that promotes your services in every post. Mix it up and give your updates the human touch.
Some ideas for how to do that include:
- Strike conversations with your followers. Ask questions or create polls to get them talking.
- Share glimpses of what happens behind the scenes of your business via videos.
- Introduce your team members through bios or video interviews.
- Share real-life stories about how your services and products have helped your customers.
By making followers feel at home with your brand, you’ll gain their trust and facilitate interaction with your company. Ultimately, that can result in referrals, leads, and new customers.
The Ultimate Social Media “Must”
The absolute essential ingredient for success with social media is the willingness to embrace it as part of your company’s operations. Just like other aspects of your business—sales, customer service, production, technical support, marketing, etc.—social media requires constant attention and evaluation. And, just like other aspects of your business, your social media goals should be carefully constructed to align with your overall organizational goals and objectives. It would also pay dividends if you have hired the expertise of an IT support company when technical problems arise.
I am about to start the social media marketing for our billing software and stumbled upon this article. I think you saved me from making mistakes and helped me understand the social media strategy and its importance.
Hey Div,
Thanks for writing and letting us know! Best of luck with social media strategy!
>Brands that come off as out of touch with or uninterested in their followers put themselves at a competitive disadvantage
And on the contrary, brands who actually reply to and interact with their followers usually receive very high praise for doing so. Especially when they can do so with a bit of fun and humor.
Wow, what a comprehensive and interesting article! Great job! And I like your idea that "The absolute essential ingredient for success with social media is the willingness to embrace it as part of your company’s operations. Just like other aspects of your business—sales, customer service, production, technical support, marketing, etc.—social media requires constant attention and evaluation. And, just like other aspects of your business, your social media goals should be carefully constructed to align with your overall organizational goals and objectives."