Depending on how your company uses social media, it can either be a wonderful tool or feel like an extra chore.
When you’re able to maximize the benefits of social media, it will be a valuable tool for your company that won’t feel like a waste of time.
Open the Right Amount of Social Media Accounts
It’s important to open up the right amount of social media accounts for your business. Although many websites encourage small business owners to open as many social media accounts as possible, that’s not always a good idea.
For example, if you run a local retail shop, there might not be any need for you to have 10 social media accounts. It might feel impossible to keep them updated and the only thing worse than not having a social media account is having an abandoned one.
So, don’t open more accounts than you can reasonably keep up with and benefit from. If it is feeling like a chore that isn’t paying off, you may need to reconsider how you are using the account or whether or not you need it at all.
It does make sense for many businesses to have several social media accounts however. Many businesses have a different following on Twitter as compared to Facebook and customers may use these social media accounts differently.
For example, customers may want to ask you a question on Twitter in hopes of getting a quick response. They may also want to follow you on Facebook to find out the latest promotions or to engage with other fans.
Also, take a look at social media accounts that don’t require a lot of upkeep. For example, completing your profile on LinkedIn can have a lot of benefits. It can help you connect with other people in your field and can help you offer information to potential customers for free.
Scope out Your Competition
Don’t be afraid to scope out your competitor’s social media accounts.
This can offer you some new insight into social media strategies and can help you identify new ways to use social media.
For example, you may be making regular Facebook posts with very little fan engagement.
However, your top competitor may be only posting once a week but have tons of fans responding regularly. Take a look at the differences in the type of posts, how fans are interacting, and other engagement strategies.
Develop a Social Media Strategy
Social media won’t be helpful unless you have a clear strategy. For example, are you hoping to gain more customers by word-of-mouth advertising? Or are you hoping to keep your current customers more engaged?
You should also develop clear strategies for reaching your goals. Determine how you want to interact with people and what type of information you want to offer them.
Make it clear what sort of a tone you want your social media efforts to convey. After all, social media can show off your personality. However, sarcasm and humor aren’t right for all businesses, so carefully choose what type of voice you want your social media to portray.
Spend Money Wisely on Social Media
One of the best things about social media is that it is free. However, it often makes sense to spend money to advertise on social media.
If you’re going to use social media to advertise, create a budget and make sure you are knowledgeable about how you want to spend your money.
If you’re not careful, you could easily spend your entire advertising budgeting within minutes and it may go to waste if you’re not carefully targeting the right audience.
When it comes to social media, it’s important to ensure that you are spending both your time and money wisely.
Get the most of out your social media efforts by developing a plan and using strategies that will help you attract the most business.
