Are you reading this blog because you…?
A) Feel like you’re supposed to be on social media, but you’re not sure what you’re doing
B) You’re on social media but it isn’t producing the ROI you expected
C) You’re a social media marketing pro and you don’t need our golden rules
If you answered A or B – this blog is for you! If you answered C – kudos to you and please let us know your secret!
According to the 2018 Global Digital suite of reports from We Are Social and Hootsuite, more than 3 billion people around the world now use social media each month. What does this mean for you and your business? How can you use social media to promote your brand and reach your customers? At ODEA, our aim is to make social media marketing more approachable and less intimidating for our clients. Here are five easy rules to keep in mind as you work on your social media strategy:
- Pick Your Platform
Only join the social media platform(s) that are relevant to your audience and industry. We often see clients get the urge to not only join social media, but to join ALL of social media. Not only will that be hard to maintain, but more importantly, it’s not necessary.You don’t need to be everywhere. You just need to be where your audience is. When making the leap into the world of social, be strategic and purposeful about your decision. Consider who you are looking to communicate with, what your specific goals are, and where your competitors are active.When in doubt, start slowly by joining one platform and when you’re ready, add more to your roster. - Focus On Quality NOT Quantity
Everyone wants, and expects, instant gratification on social media. However, it takes time. Rather than obsessing about the number of likes, retweets or views your social page is generating, instead pay attention to the quality of the content you’re producing. - Always Keep Your Eye On Your Target Market
Like you, your customers are bombarded by messaging all day long, so you have to keep their needs and wants in mind when executing your social strategy. Do you think that your audience is willing and wanting to connect with you on this particular platform? What is an appropriate frequency to post per week? What content types (i.e. blogs vs videos) would be most impactful and interesting for your audience? If you’re not careful, your social efforts could have the opposite intended impact – chasing them away. - Stay In The Know
Social platforms and trends can change in the blink of an eye. Once you join, don’t breathe a sigh of relief that the work is done! It’s wise to expect that the platform will continue to evolve and add new features. In conjunction with staying up to speed on the platform updates, also stay in tune with social media trends. Features and content types such as virtual reality, messaging/chat, and live video are all very popular right now. Be prepared to take advantage of those opportunities! - Integrate Social Media With Your Marketing Efforts
Social media alone will not likely produce a dramatic increase in sales or brand awareness for your company. It’s the overall impact of everything that you’re doing that will make a difference for your business. Here are a few ways to keep your efforts unified:- Create a digital marketing campaign of which social media is just one component.
– Stay consistent by updating the branding (profile picture, cover photo, description, etc.) of your social profiles to match your website and other marketing materials.
– Align your brand voice across all platforms.
– Repurpose content from your blog and website.
You never know who might be looking at your social media. It could be a new customer, a future employee or just a passerby. No matter who it is, we encourage you to focus on crafting social media pages and posts that tell your story and build brand awareness. If you have any questions about your social strategy – drop us a line!