As a business, chances are that you already have a social media presence. You’ve no doubt read up on the benefits that social media brings, but how do you make sure that it’s working the way it should be? To ensure that your profiles are a cut above the rest, you need to have a strategy. With a well-thought-out plan, you’d think that not much can go wrong. However, having a structure is just the beginning.
One of the main reasons business owners turn to social media is because that’s the way the world works now. There’s a whole host of platforms out there, all with thousands – if not millions – of active users. So, it’s only natural that companies are going to have some sort of presence there.
If you want to create a strong, authentic presence on social media, as well as one that won’t be forgotten about, there are several things you can do to make sure that you stand out from the crowd.
Create a Branded Profile
Visuals are important, and they shouldn’t be overlooked. With the ability to draw people in, they play a crucial part in any social media presence. First things first, if you have more than one social media profile, you want to make sure that they all follow the same branding. If all of your profiles look like they could belong to different companies, it may mean that users get confused. By having uniformity, it creates a sense of professionalism and helps you to be instantly recognisable. Consistency is key when it comes to colour and design.
If you need to give your social media profiles a little boost, take a look at this: https://www.colewood.net/blog/how-to-boost-your-business-social-media-presence/
Be Human
Whether you’re a small, family-run business or a large, well-known corporation, one of the biggest mistakes that companies make on social media is that they don’t appear human. If your posts make you look like a faceless enterprise that has no personality, it makes it hard for people to connect with you. In this day and age, there’s nothing wrong with making your posts a little more personal.
When Visa went down and people around the world were struggling to make payments, Mastercard came out with this tweet. Don’t be afraid to put out responses or comments like this, it will make your business seem more relatable.
Another way to become personable on social media is to post pictures of the staff who work at your company. This can be anything from random snapshots of employees in the office, workshop, or yard, to images of big business moments such as charity events and networking meetings.
Post Frequently
If you’re not posting regularly, there’s more chance of you being forgotten about. To stick in people’s minds, you want to post fresh, up-to-date content as often as possible. Now that doesn’t mean you have to be sat on social media every minute of every day. One of the main questions business owners ask is “how often should I post on social media?”. Putting it simply, quality is more important than quantity, but let’s not get lost in the goals and objectives we set. To be remembered, you need something that people are going to, well, remember. Make your posts fun, engaging, and informative, and keep them regular and consistent.
Respond to Engagement
When you’re a business, reputation is everything. To become a reputable company, having an unrivalled customer service is essential. This doesn’t just mean you have to be polite and professional to those you’re serving face to face, it also means tackling customer service via social media too. Responding to both your potential customers and loyal clients is a must, so it’s definitely worth your time and investment. Think of it this way, if someone rings you on your business line, would you let this go to answerphone? The likely answer is no, you wouldn’t. So why should social media be any different? Responding to comments and messages can enhance trust.
There are a few things you should bear in mind, including:
- Respond as quickly as possible
- Don’t leave messages that require a response on read
- Be consistent
- Make replies friendly and personable
- Sometimes short and sweet is key
- Create templated responses to FAQ’s, this way you can be sure everyone is getting the same information
- If it’s a complaint you’re handling, deal with the person directly
By nailing your social media strategy, you can really grow your business. You can use the likes of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube to drive traffic to your website. But you can also use these platforms as a way to boost loyalty, increase your customer base, and generate content. All of which should result in you creating a presence that won’t be forgotten about.
