An unavoidable part of the business world today is a presence on social media. In most industries you need to incorporate social media platforms to be seen as up-to-date and connected. Today, Twitter feeds, Instagram accounts, Facebook pages and company Linkedin profiles are all a part of creating your brand, as well as exposing your brand to the masses.
While it may be clear why social media communications matter, it can be less clear how to effectively use social media as a tool to propel your business.
Having recently revamped our marketing strategy, the Redstone team has notably increased our social media engagement by implementing a few new tactics.
First, revisit your branding strategy. Find three main points you want to drive home. How do you want your company to be known? Are you exclusive, unique and high-end? Are you reliable, affordable and trusted? Or maybe you’re forward-thinking, innovative and tech-savvy. However you want your brand to be perceived, give it three main adjectives, and focus on those three. A common mistake marketers make is to try to be all things to everyone. You need to focus on a brand that will stick in people’s heads, and any brand that is too broad will get lost in marketing noise. Be clear, be concise and be intentional in your posting.
Second, populate your social media schedule early. We recommend using Hootsuite, but if that’s not a platform you have access to then an Excel spreadsheet will do in a pinch. Mark down the date, the platform (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and what you plan on posting that day along with any relevant hashtags or links. Our team tries to populate the social media schedule every other week, if not more. Social media is very dependant on being consistent and timely, and coming up with relevant material on the fly is difficult. Sit down at a predetermined time, construct your content, and have it waiting in the pipeline for posting.
Finally, stay aware and open to potential posts. Snap a photo of your group meeting, make note of a relevant hashtag you encounter, save that eblast or newsletter you might usually delete. You never know what may come in handy when curating content, and keeping an eye out for potential social media sources will keep your feed fresh. Remembering that documenting relevant industry experiences doesn’t always come naturally, but making the effort to stay relevant will become a priority when you see how an effective social media strategy can propel your business’ brand to the next level.