The heavy impact social media platforms have had outside the business sphere cannot be disputed. Twitter has over 232 million active users, while Facebook can boast up to 500 million of them. Despite such jaw-dropping numbers, businesses are not taking advantage. It’s mostly due to owners not knowing how to leverage social media – find out how you can create business opportunities by implementing the following strategies.
Setup Step One: Keep Track Of Everything
Before you sign up to every social media platform under the sun, it’s important that you find a reliable social media dashboard that can give you an overview of your activities online.
This allows you to see everything you’re doing, whether it’s Facebook or Pinterest or Twitter, making it easier to manage your social interactions. Organization is key – without it, you’re never going to harness the power of these platforms.
Setup Step Two: Sign Up to Relevant Platforms Only
Don’t just take the gung-ho approach and sign up to everything you can find. Think strategically and consider the following questions:
- Does the platform allow me to connect to people in my industry?
- Does the platform have many users?
- Can I share relevant content on this platform?
- Does the platform reflect brand values?
Only sign up to social media platforms that fit into your strategy. This not only makes it easier to manage your accounts, but you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.
Setup Step Three: Design Your Property
Don’t leave your Facebook page with its default settings. And don’t even think about uploading a cover photo that isn’t built to size. Treat these platforms just as you would your website – you wouldn’t just slap a random theme to your business site, would you?
It’s critical that your social media platforms exude the same personality and design from top to bottom. They each need to follow your brand guidelines. If you can’t afford to do this the entire way through, invest in one platform at a time.
Setup Step Four: Find a Voice
Before you start Tweeting or Sharing, find a voice for your brand. It should be uniform, professional and consistent. You should never have a professional style on one platform, only to be contrasted with something conversational in another. Find a voice and stick with it.
Implementation Step One: Use Social Media for Customer Support
Now that you’re ready to hit the ground running, it’s time to implement some dedicated strategies. Firstly, take care of your existing customers before you start trying to find new ones.
Social media allows you to answer questions in real time, serving more than just the single person that’s come to you. Maintain a positive brand image by being quick and responsive. Over time, you’ll save your staff a bundle by creating a huge library of answers right on your social media platforms.
Implementation Step Two: Market Research
Imagine being able to gauge the profitability potential of a product by asking thousands of users with a single click. You know where we’re going – use social media! Ask questions, see what your customers want, and give it to them. Easy!
Implementation Step Three: Promotions
Smart and effective promotional strategies are making businesses a lot of money, with little investment required. Set up contests by having people share your content with others, effectively allowing you to connect with thousands of people without having to make any effort.
