Social media has become an integral part of business, which is why companies are using social media to its optimum so that they can get the cutting edge advantage.
If you want to thrive in social business you need to employ the tools used by your customers and try to engage with them on an even footing. There are ten simple tips that you can follow to ensure that your social media efforts are bringing you the results you want.
Keep your goals in mind
Before you start planning you strategies for your social business, you need to assess your goals, which will definitely vary and be based on the needs of every organization. From demographics, location and interests to targets like boosting sales and brand awareness; there are different factors that you need to bear in mind.
Find out about your target audience
There are many who use Twitter because they have been advised to, while others are on Facebook because it seems like an easy to use medium. But these reasons alone will not bring you the results you expect and you will have to try and mix and match your efforts on different platforms to make them count. At the end of the day, you have to reach out to your target audience on the platform they might use and that’s something you will have to focus on in 2015.
Consider your content
In the New Year your emphasis should also be on your content strategy. Curated content like the one you share will definitely have its merits in 2015. You need to site the original source and make sure the content is relevant. Your own original content in the form of pictures, videos and of course, written information will be extremely valuable. The generated content from fans and followers about their experiences with your brand can then be added to good effect.
Updating websites and social media profiles
Never dismiss the way that your social media and website has to be constantly updated.You need to review the content often to ensure that it represents exactly who you are. Today, users look for businesses online and that’s where the first connection is made. That’s why your first impression has got to be spot on and if you have the budgets, you are better off hiring a website consultant to do the job for you.
Chart out your network
There are new platforms that are making their presence felt in the social media world. Hence it’s important to pick the ones that can drive your business communication in the best possible way. It’s considered a good idea to create a network of niche and popular platforms that have their benefits. Besides the popular mediums like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, you can also rely on upcoming platforms and a few localized ones to make sure you are making your mark with your target audience.
Listen and offer solutions
One of the benefits of being a social business is that you have an opportunity to engage with customers and boost your quality, support and speed too. It’s important to listen to what your customers want and offer them service accordingly. Based on reports it’s seen that 36% of companies with social tools have higher customer service ratings.
Contests and giveaways
Contests and giveaways are a brilliant way of garnering the desired attention on social media. They ensure that your social media page becomes more likeable and you will manage to boost sales and enhance fan engagement too. Moreover you will encourage more customers to sign up on your email list. Hence running contests or giveaways on a regular basis definitely make sense for your business.
Improve customer relationships
Customer Relationship Management apps are worth their weight in gold for small businesses that can retain customers, get an insight into sales and also tap into a new customer base. From storing client contacts to handling customer interactions, scheduling client contact and tracking campaigns; there is a lot you can do with these apps. You can get the most out of these apps when you use them in tandem with cloud based systems including email and accounting software.
Avoid forcing it
In 2014, few brands got themselves into inconvenience by unseemly utilization of hashtags. It’s considered a good practice to refrain from using hashtags, posting comments or sending out a tweet on social media only to get a mention for your brand. It can be quite off-putting to your clients. If your hashtag is not relevant to your customers there’s no reason to use it. It shows if it’s not genuine, and will make the wrong impression on your behalf as it will seem like you are trying too hard for attention.
Security
Social media should be treated like any other technology element of your business. They are channels that should be protected, and that’s why you are better off creating permission levels for your profiles. It will ensure that no erroneous or inappropriate message is sent out on your behalf, thus ruining its reputation.
Author bio:
I’m Ramya, a freelance web designer/writer based in India. I have an experience of about 8 years in content writing and have worked for top blogs and websites. I’m generally an extrovert; I like photography, anthropology and traveling to different countries to learn the culture and living of the local inhabitants to do travelogues.
Contact: Ramya
E-mail id: ramyaraju896@gmail.com
Website: http://www.colorcharacter.com/uk/color-character-blog
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