5 Steps For Social Success
Social media has become a key factor in defining a business’s success.
Without an online influence and a wealth of followers at your fingertips you’re out in the cold.
Combined with traditional marketing methods, the digital realm can expand brand awareness in ways which were never before possible.
And with 51% of companies confirming that they’ll spend more on digital marketing in 2015, it’s certain to continue its hold over the marketing sector.
Social media has become the new go-to area for any would be customers looking to get to know a brand. With reviews and interaction available for all to see, potential customers needn’t go far to truly know what it’s like to deal with your business.
It’s become a common habit to find a business through a social channel before making a decision to contact them. And if it’s not up to scratch it could be detrimental to your online presence.
There’s simply no excuse not to be social, it’s free, and it’s now the most widely used forms of communication.
But are all your social media efforts paying off?
1) Plan It
Like with all good marketing strategies you need to pin point what you want to gain from your social marketing. Likes and follows are all well and good, but what is that really saying about your business?
Ask yourself some honest questions.
What do you really want to get out of your efforts?
How will it affect your business?
Are your targets measurable?
Without quantifying your goal with a deadline you won’t know if it’s even worked.
2) Pick wisely
With more social channels available it’s hard to understand where to position a business when the choice is so overwhelming.
Doing your research into where you customers are most likely to be will ensure your efforts are going into the people that matter.
Not all social channels will be relevant to your target market so don’t waste your time on platforms where your content will be lost in the noise.
3) Make It Relevant
Once your plan is finalised and your channels selected it’s time to decide what you’re going to put out there.
Make your content relevant to your customers.
Is what your putting out there going to be useful to people?
Is going to amuse people or tell a story they can relate to?
Posting salesy content and spamming them with cat videos from YouTube will not gain you any friends.
Think about the benefits of what your business has to offer and show them.
Whilst advertising does ‘We’re Really Good’ approach, social says ‘This is why we’re really good’.
4) Get Organised
Many companies don’t have the luxury of a social media team.
Instead they’re often a one man band trying to do it all.
The truth is it’s completely doable on your own but only with a great deal of organisation.
Using social tools such as Hoot Suite or Sprout Social, enables you to schedule your posts while you concentrate on the day to day running of business.
Research when the best times are to post and schedule your content for these key times. Sharing content at times of least interaction will gain you no momentum. Think carefully about what you’re putting out there and make it count.
5) Track Your Success
Now that you have a measurable and targeted social campaign you need to see if it’s working.
After all, there’s no point putting in those extra hours if it’s not going to pay off.
Google Analytics is a simple tool to help you track any traffic to your website, but if it’s the old fashioned phone call you’re hankering after, systems such as Call Tracks software can track where your calls are coming from.
Implementing tools such as these will enable you to understand your social success rate.
With a plan and the strategy to do it, there’ll be no stopping you.
Mary Saunders, working on behalf of Call Tracks
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