Are you prepared to take the social media plunge, but you’re not sure how to do it? Relax! Everyone was a social media beginner at some point. Social media is a worldwide phenomenon with people all over the world having at least one social media account. Currently, China has the highest amount of social media users, while Northern, Western, and Southern Europe and North America have the highest internet users in the world. Whether it is for personal use or business, social media can be an essential tool to use when it comes to engaging with a larger audience and building relationships. For a business, there is much more to think about in terms of building a social presence than it will be for someone who has accounts for personal use. If you are looking to improve your brand through social media, take a look at specialists such as NGP Integrated Marketing Communications to see how you can achieve this effectively and create a successful online platform. All it takes is time and commitment and you’ll be acing it in no time.
Know first of all that you’re doing the right thing. Between 1 million and 2 million people a day visit social networking sites. The importance of these sites cannot be overestimated. Now, more than ever, your customers – and detractors – own your brand, and the best way to keep track of what people are saying is to be on social media.
Not convinced? Just ask hoteliers and restaurateurs how they are impacted by reviews on TripAdvisor and Yelp. And these are just two of a growing number of websites with consumer-generated content that affect your business.
Here’s a breakdown of the top social media sites and their number of users worldwide:
- Facebook – 1 billion plus
- Tencent QQ (China) – 784 million
- Skype – 663 million
- Google+ – 500 million
- Twitter – 500 million plus, generating 400 million tweets a day
- LinkedIn – 250 million
You think you might find one or two clients in this bunch?
If you’re ready to take the plunge, here are some social media tips for beginners that may be helpful:
- Pick one or two platforms where you think most of your clients (or prospects) are hanging out and start there. Facebook and Twitter are great for business-to-consumer (B2C) companies, and Google+ is not far behind. LinkedIn is wonderful if you’re in a business-to-business (B2B) industry.
Whichever site you choose, remember:
- It’s social, “not sales-y.” Would you go to a cocktail party and introduce yourself with a business card in one hand and a coupon worth 20% off in the other? Of course not! People would run over anyone in their path to get away from you.
You can and should promote your business and your offerings on social media sites, but 80% of your posts should be informative and useful. The balance will be about your business, your products or services.
- It takes time and commitment. It’s like any other form of marketing. Social media experts suggest you post four to six times a day, spread out throughout the day (and night) so you can reach people in different time zones. Do not get into social media unless you are committed to it. If you don’t carry through on social media, can they count on you in other areas?
- It’s about them, not you. To make meaningful connections with people, you need to show an interest in them. From a business social media perspective, this means finding ways you can be useful to them.
- It’s consistent. Only the very naive would expect a huge draw from a single 30-second radio or TV spot, or one business-card ad in their local newspaper. You have to be on social media every day. Your competitors are.
- It’s knowing your ideal client. Who – exactly – is this person? If you don’t have any idea, write a description, and be as personal as you can. Give him a name. Is he married? Got any kids? How much money does he make? Where does he shop? What kind of car does he drive, how old is it and how often does he trade it in?
Once you have this guy in mind, it will be easier to create social media posts that appeal to him. And you’ll have a better idea of where in the social media landscape you’re most likely to find him.
- It’s about building your brand and credibility, not about making sales. If you go into social media thinking that people will rush to your website, restaurant or storefront to give you money, think again. What you’re doing on social media is proving to your prospects that you know your stuff, that you can be trusted, that you’re someone they know and like. That takes time. You could even buy Instagram likes if you wanted to speed up the social media process.
- It’s responsive. This is the biggest problem I see with businesses on social media – a lack of engagement with people…especially if these people are complaining.
This is where a huge chunk of your time commitment comes in. You should acknowledge everyone who comes to your social media page and, if nothing else, like what they’ve said. Even better, respond to their comment (if they’ve made one).
Remember, it’s social. How would you like having a conversation with someone who never spoke back? You wouldn’t, and would soon find someone else to talk to.
Do not – I repeat, do NOT – ignore negative comments. You cannot make everyone happy all the time, but the savvy business owner can take a critical remark and use it to educate their prospects.
If you screwed up, admit it publicly and offer restitution of some type (online or offline; you will be the judge of which is appropriate). You will be admired for it. If you’ve been unfairly bashed, say you’re sorry if you were misunderstood and clarify it. If nothing else, respond with, “Thank you for your comment.”
- Social media is part of an overall marketing plan. You cannot rely totally on social media any more than you can rely completely on email marketing or putting flyers under windshield wipers or advertising in a trade journal. Try everything and track your results.
What should you post?
- Photos. By far, photos have the largest share of engagement of any other type of post. Personalize your photos if you can.
- Motivational quotes. People love to be inspired. Every day, I see a comment where someone will say, “Thanks. I needed to see that.”
- Mistakes and lessons. This will make you more real, more human. And if someone can learn from your mistakes, why not share them?
- Answers to questions. What are some of the most common questions you get in your field?
- Links to articles. These are not as popular as photos or event plain text posts. If you are sharing a link, let people know why you liked or didn’t like it.
- Wisdom from the book you’re reading. If you’re reading something that really hits home with you, share it.
- Interesting advertising. We’ve all seen signs or billboard that we thought were unique or hilarious. Snap a picture and post it. My all-time favorite: A billboard advertising an AC company with the words, “Your Wife is Hot.”
- Fun purchases. What cool new toy did you just buy? Tell us about it!
- Fun stuff. People love to be amused.
- Your work: This is not the same as “your business,” except in a round-about fashion. What do you do that you love the most? What brings you the most joy in your job or business?
Still uncertain? Understand that social media is not going away and that the only way to effectively compete in cyberspace is to be there yourself.
Do you have questions about social media? I’d love to hear them!