Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
It’s estimated that approximately 1.9 billion people use Facebook – but only 100 million use Pinterest? Additionally, did you know that only 29 percent of Twitter users follow a brand, compared to 58 percent of Facebook users? These may seem like important stats, but in the end, none of that really matters to your business’ social media strategy.
Statistics are compelling, and certainly a good factor to consider. But the reality is, social media is such a complicated landscape, and statistics can be more confusing than helpful.
BE KNOWLEDGABLE
Are you already using social media for business or personal use? If so, then you probably have an idea of how each platform is different from the others. If you are unfamiliar with any, then check them out; set up a personal account and browse around. Instagram and Pinterest are growing rapidly but that is not reason enough for your company to have a presence there. Instead, find platforms that you believe your customers are active on and for which you can effectively produce content. If you are not capable of producing videos, then YouTube is probably not the right place for you to start.
BE REALISTIC
Social media is more about quality than quantity. Those who post a lot of irrelevant content will get very poor engagement regardless of how many followers or connections they have. You do not have to be on every platform right away. Pick one or two to focus on and then produce good content on a regular basis. To aid in the posting process, there are many tools available to help you manage various platforms at one time. These tools allow for posting the same content in multiple places to save time!
BE IN THE CONVERSATION
The conversation on social media has already begun; your customers are on social media discussing their needs and you probably are missing key insights. Social media is at its best when great content is posted and others discuss it. This adds value and purpose that drives additional industry insight. As a businessperson, you need to be there and interact so you can help understand and drive trends in your industry.
BE GENUINE AND SINCERE
Many companies have a presence on social media, but that presence may be cold and lack character. Your customers are on social media because it is a place to interact with you and your company – but if you are too robotic and automated, there is no real value for the customer. Work hard to be genuine and sincere as you build relationships through these networks. If done successfully, you will be able to build trust with current and potential customers.
BE THERE
Nothing will turn away a potential follow or connection than a dormant social media profile. These platforms never turn off and there is an expectation that those who operate that page will be there. Make sure they know you are there by posting on a regular basis and promoting it as part of your branding. Notice every comment, like, heart, share, and retweet – this is your ROI. Every comment deserves a timely reply. Being on social media requires a commitment to do it properly.
There is a lot of information about social media available that include statistics, graphs, and data that make it seem more complicated than it needs to be. If you’re feeling overwhelmed examining the specs and statistics attached to these sites, go ahead and just jump in with the intent to work on building relationships with current and potential customers. With the right mindset, you will see positive results!
Co-contributor: Joe Easton
