Top tips for getting the best results from social media

Rosie EvansRev Marketing

What is this about?

In this day and age businesses and consumers alike are either already using or are considering using social media. So what really is social media and how can we put it to best use to grow our businesses?Social media is quite simply a range of websites and applications that enable users to create content and, almost as importantly, share relevant content as well – remember, it’s *social* not selfish. Here are our top tips for businesses that are looking to get the best results from their social media efforts:

1. Direct your traffic

Many people forget why they are using social media in the first place. Remember, having hundreds of likes and followers does not add any value if you are not directing people to your company website, blog, event registration, etc. remember to always relate your social media content to what your business wants to achieve.

2. Listen to your audience

Think about what your audience wants to hear and not just what you want to say on social media. Before creating your social media accounts, you should ask yourself, “What value can I add to my connections through the use of this channel?” Your consumers are interested in your field, so be a valuable and interesting source for them by listening and responding to the feedback you are receiving with enthusiasm.

3. Make a plan

Highlight the goals you want to achieve through your social media marketing. The best way to start planning is setting targets – for example, you could aim to have 2 scheduled Twitter posts per day alongside 2 other pieces of active engagements per day.

4. Calendar your content

Having content available at your fingertips will make your interaction even easier. Make note of any relevant events for your business and post about them around the event to engage with your community. A handy tool is Hootsuite, where you can schedule planned content well in advance, giving you the freedom to respond to engagement around that content.

5. Leave room for spontaneity

However, as much as we advice being organised, remember that there may be breaking or time sensitive news for your industry that would be of interest to your followers. Social media is often about showing behind the scenes of your organisation so if something interesting happens in the office, be sure to share it. Also, don’t be afraid to follow trends – your followers want to know about you as a person as much as they do about your business, as they will be investing in both.

6. Assign responsibility

Like and comment on other relevant content on Facebook as other users will see your interaction making them more likely to visit your page. To improve the reach of individual posts, Facebook does offer the option to boost posts for a small payment. It is important to understand that Facebook for business is a paid for platform these days and this can really pay off if used correctly.

8. Watch your competitors and your future clients

There are no rules where it says you can’t spy on the competition and Twitter is a particularly good platform for that. Follow potential clients and suppliers because as you retweet and engage with them online, that initial contact is made and you are placing your company in their minds.

9. Professional vs. informal

There are some platforms where professionalism is still vital. Remember LinkedIn should reflect your professional personality, not your holidays. Make sure you have an appropriate profile that you’d want your business associates to view. That said, other channels require a more relaxed approach – nonetheless, remember this should still reflect your company and your brand.

10. Measurement

Marketing 101 – if you aren’t measuring, you may as well have not bothered! It can be difficult to understand the impact and value your social media activity is bringing you. It is important to define what you will measure and when you’ll measure it from the start – and be disciplined about it. Get to grips with the metrics each platform provides and look at tools such as SumAll.

What now?

For more information go to our website