Trying to make sense of modern social media, can be a bit overwhelming, and we get it.
It’s a lot to take in, especially since the social sphere is basically unrecognisable from what it was a ten years ago and changes on a daily basis!
Let’s rewind 10+ years – every once in a while you would’ve seen the occasional business profile in your newsfeed, fast forward to this present day where a social presence is crucial for any businesses – #DidYouKnow 80% of companies relying on social media to raise their brand awareness???
If you feel that you’re late the social game, there’s no need to panic.
To help get your toes wet, we’re breaking things down to basics;
If you’re a novice, the following list of social media presence basics can help get your business off the ground. Whether you’re interested in online selling, customer service, profile exposure or anything in-between, this list will get the ball rolling.
- Choose your social channels wisely
First things first: how do you determine where your business needs to be?
Big brands with a large customer base tend to have presences across multiple platforms. Giants like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola obviously have the resources to be everywhere at once, but what if you’re a small business?
For the sake of narrowing down where you should spend your time, below is a small summary of each of the major social media platforms. Rather than try to dominate them all, consider which platforms make the most sense based on your industry , clients and needs.
Twitter is a great kick-off point for most businesses. It requires minimal setup and provides a space to go back-and-forth with followers directly, there’s reason why Twitter remains the go-to platform for customer service. If you’re trying to master the social media marketing basics of hashtags, tagging and social media etiquette, look no further – https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-hashtags/
Undoubtedly the biggest name in social media. Facebook’s ad platform is the master for social media ads if you have a budget for paid promotions. On a similar note, Facebook is a must-have for businesses looking to target local customers. Allowing for check-ins and reviews, it’s a key platform to grow a loyal following.
At its core, Instagram is a social network centered around visual content. A major platform for eCommerce shops, start-ups, corporates and influencers alike, the platform encourages brands to get creative. From eye-catching photos to clever captions, it’s all about finding unique ways to show off what you’re selling.
LinkedIn is a social network focused on corporate trends and networking. Although most business profiles primarily belong to start-ups, LinkedIn is a mecca for anyone networking in the B2B space. Whether you are looking to get in touch with a CEO, marketing manager or public figure- Chances are you will find them on LinkedIn.
This visual pinning platform is insanely popular with millennials and has proven to be one of the best networks for social selling. Not unlike Instagram, Pinterest thrives on visual content and inspirational content where products serve as the centrepiece.
YouTube
Although some might not think of YouTube as the ‘traditional’ social platform, the size of this network’s active and engaging community speaks for itself. Considering that video represents the top-performing type of content across nearly every social networking, YouTube is a great place to showcase your videos.
If your head is still spinning and you are still overwhelmed and you’re not sure where to start, ask yourself: where are your competitors and audience hanging out?
- Complete your profile(s)
Social media basics: fill out your profile 100%!!
This will make your social profiles appear more professional, and will also make your business easier to find.
By completely filling out your profiles (business’ name, address and other important information) you become much easier to find in a Google or social search.
While each network has its own specifics and guidelines, here are some pointers to consider when filling out your profiles.
Keep Business names and Handles consistent across platforms
If your business has a distinctive name that’s a reasonable number of characters (16 or less), you probably don’t have to think twice about your handle. (The name that appears after typing in @ on social media channels)
That said, you do need to make a point to use a consistent handle if you’re signing up across multiple platforms.
Choose images that will grow your brand
From profile pictures to cover photos, it’s important that your business profile looks the part. [BRANDING BRANDING BRANDING]
Make use of this guide to social image sizes to assure your photos are optimally sized. There’s nothing worse than a grainy and pixelated photo to make you look unprofessional.
And if you need to create social photos from scratch, look into tools like Canva which houses tons of pre-made social image templates.
Fill in as many sections as required on each platform
Fill in as much of the details required on the platform you are using as you possibly can!
Again, people often rather opt for looking up social media results before searching for your website. Thus, it is essential to keep your contact information and hours up-to-date on all platforms.
- Follow others!
You won’t get much out of your social presence if you’re a totally isolated.
Following others shows that you’re an active participant in the social sphere vs a profile that’s just posting its own content. How great to be able to learn from fellow industry leaders or even discover new prospects.
Make a point to follow fresh profiles to see how others operate on social media.
Most social networks do supply you with some sort of follower suggestions to get you started.
- Have a clear online marketing strategy
Now that your profiles are set up, you’re going to need to decide what you’re going to post on a day-to-day basis.
Coming up with a content strategy might seem like a lot of hard work, but it all really comes down to your goals.
- Looking to educate your audience through your social media presence? Publish content, news and opinions applicable to your industry.
- Trying to sell products? Post action pictures of your products and photos of others showing off your products.
- Focused on customer service? Tips, shout-outs and company updates are all great content for all social media platforms.
Regardless of what you might be posting, coming up with a #hashtag to pair with your content is a brilliant branding move.
“Hashtags can be used to not just to get your attention, but also encourage people to share their photos interacting with your brand.”
- Organise and set up your content calendar
We all enjoy saving time, so knowing in advance what you’re going to post and when you’re going to post is in a major point in your favour. This also keeps you from posting the same pieces of content again and again.
- Take part in online conversations
Don’t forget: social media isn’t all about you.
From commenting on posts to retweeting and sharing the content of others; getting noticed on social media means being an active participant. Networking and interacting with followers, fans and customers allows you to show off your brand identity and likewise introduce your brand to new followers.
Make a point to interact with at least a few profiles per day. Focus on building relationships via your social media channels – this only takes a few minutes a day but can score you major brownie points with your followers.
- Find you ‘online’ voice
What is your brand personality? One of the fastest ways to ‘pop’ above your competitors on social media is to define your distinctive brand voice.
The key is to present you as human rather than a robot. “Get real” with followers, don’t be afraid to make jokes or have a heart-to-heart with your follower when appropriate.
- Remember to cross-promote your different social media channels
Let’s say you have all of your social profiles set up and ready to go…
Great! Now, how do you expect potential followers to find you?
Don’t make the mistake of confining your social presence exclusively to social media. Some additional places where you can build-up your profiles include:
- Your email newsletters
- Your website handles ( social media buttons)
- Cross-promotion between social sites (think: promoting your Facebook page on your YouTube videos.)
Have you mastered these social media marketing basics?
This social media list is an example of a roadmap for businesses looking to start their presence from scratch. While all of the trends and terminology might be confusing, chances are you have more than what it takes to master the basics!
C:Digital Solutions
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