Featured article by Calvin Paige, Independent Technology Author
Whether or not you’re involved in Internet marketing, you probably know that social media presence can make or break a business. Most companies and brands are aware of this, yet few of them actually manage to achieve reach and influence without help from experts.
This is because social media marketing is more complex than it looks. It sounds simple in theory –just set up a couple of business profiles, post some links, and you’ve got an audience – but having a dominating presence in your industry takes time and knowledge. Here are five steps to help you take up space on social media.
Know Your Audience
Before you can devise a social media strategy, you need to establish who you are trying to reach. There are millions of Facebook and Twitter users, but you have to narrow your focus to ensure your content keeps them interested. Identifying a target audience early on will help determine which platforms you use, the dates and times you post, the tone you write in and the language you use, as well as the kinds of media you publish.
Set Goals
Once you’ve decided on your target audience, you need to make a plan for your social media campaign. If you have no idea where to start, an Internet marketing agency can help you niche down and formulate the best strategy for your business. The key is to have a goal in mind. How many followers are you hoping to attract, for example? Are you appealing to a global audience or a local clientele? Once you’ve set some goals, you can work them into a time-bound plan.
For instance, your goal might be to attract 5K followers by the end of the quarter, which means acquiring around 55 new readers daily. Once you break down your goals, you can set plans in motion to help you reach them.
Show Your Personality
Your followers want to know there’s a face behind your organization, so they will look for the “human” quality of your posts. This is why social influencers are so popular; they are relatable in some respect, whether that’s due to the “voice” they adopt in their posts or the daily context of their lives. Transparency in business is more important than ever, so you will be expected to show you’re not just a social media bot.
Post Visuals
Visuals are one of the most important tactics for optimizing social media content, and they also get more engagement than written posts. Don’t just use generic stock photos, however, as people can usually tell that these aren’t specific to your brand. Instead, take behind-the-scenes images and videos to show your company at work. Just be sure to brand your images and videos with your company logo so they are always traced back to your business.
Stay Consistent
Social media strategies only ever work because they are consistent. It doesn’t matter how powerful your content; if you don’t update your profiles regularly, then you won’t establish much of an audience. They key is to set a schedule and stick to it, then your readers will know what to expect and when to expect it.
