It’s the new year. While, it’s all shiny and new, we’re all inspired to be our best, make some resolutions, and do better than last year. While you’re still in that moment, how about taking a look at some social media “do’s and don’ts” and resolving to make the online world a better place? That might be easier than say going to the gym, dieting, and other silly resolutions you know you’re not going to keep. Just sayin’.
1.) Have a plan. Whether it’s your first day online or if you’ve been doing this for a while, you should always have a plan for your business online. Creating accounts online is only the first step of the battle. The rest of it is figuring out how to use these social media channels effectively, what to post, when to post, and how to monitor it all.
2.) Be consistent. Most businesses have this misconception that if they setup an account online, they’ll suddenly have followers and then they can just sort of disappear and not be present. Social media is part of your marketing plan. You can’t just set it up and expect results. Like I mentioned in step one, you’ve got to maintain your channels and setup a plan to stay consistent and engage with your audience. They want to know what your brand is up to, so let them in on your juicy secrets and keep them enticed.
3.) Respond and listen. Once you go online, be prepared for the good and bad but don’t be scared though. Every brand has positive and negative feedback. It’s part of being in business. Instead of looking the other way, use these opportunities to learn about your brand and make necessary improvements. Your customer is your best learning vehicle. After all, you’re trying to please them. You’re in business for them so learn from them. Respond quickly to customer inquires and take their feedback into consideration. Is there something you can do differently? Is there something that you’re doing right and should be doing more of?
4.) Focus on valuable content and don’t be pushy. Social media is a great place to promote yourself but don’t be pushy with your content. Use social media to build brand awareness, teach your audience about your brand, share interesting stories relevant to your brand and the industry, and sprinkle in the occasional link back to your website to buy your product. No one likes to be sold to but if we feel the decision is ours, we’ll buy hence why you should take the time to build awareness and educate your customers about the benefits of doing business with you (in a subtle manner).
5.) Be Thankful. Every so often, go online and thank your fans, followers, pinners, G plussers etc and tell them how much you appreciate them. This builds good will and good social karma. If they’re taking the time to follow you, interact with you, and be there with you online, you should thank them. Good social karma turns into profit over time so a simple thank you can go a long way.
Happy New Year! What are your social media best practices and what works for you? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
