Featured article by Brad Richardson, Independent Technology Author
Social media has revolutionized not just the internet, but the way that people interact with one another in general.
This has obvious implications for personal relationships, but it also means that your business strategies should be adapting, too.
Social media offers a big opportunity for your company to grow and to tap into markets that you might not have even realized existed.
Even with all these benefits, the world of Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat can also be intimidating and time-consuming to start entirely from scratch — especially since maintaining social media for business is much different than maintaining your personal accounts.
Here are a few tips to get you started, so that you can begin to reap the benefits that social media has to offer.
Pick the right platform(s)
If you’ve never operated a social media account for a business before, it might be best to start with just one platform, particularly if you already have a lot on your plate.
It’s much better to master one platform and then move on to the next, instead of simultaneously neglecting multiple accounts.
As you’re picking the first platform to start with, ask yourself a few questions:
– Where does my target audience search for companies like mine?
– What type of content meshes most easily with my company’s goals?
– What types of information am I hoping to spread with my social media
Search online and see which platforms your competitors use. It’s a good idea to start with these places, where potential customers already know they can find businesses like yours. However, to expand your reach beyond your competitors’ reach, you will eventually need to spread out to additional platforms.
If this doesn’t give you a clear direction, ask yourself what type of content would best represent your company’s products or services. If you sell something that is particularly photogenic, for instance, then Instagram might be the ideal platform for you.
Finally, think about what type of information you’d like your potential customers to glean from your social media account. If you mostly want them to see your hours and your location, then Facebook is probably best for you, where you can post this information in an easily accessible spot on your account.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions
Whether you’re a baker looking for the next killer cheesecake recipe, or a custom manufacturer looking to tighten up your product line, don’t shy away from using social media as a way to ask questions.
Asking questions, and looking for ways to freshen up your business, is a great way for customers to give you feedback and for you to interact with other business owners. These interactions can make one-time customers into loyal regulars, and can make other business owners into business partners or collaborators.
Social media is all about connecting people, so don’t be afraid to reach out and search for the answers that your business needs.
Re-evaluate regularly
As you should be doing with your website, revisit your social media accounts regularly and make sure that all of the information is up to date and is presented in the most aesthetically pleasing way possible.
Social media is constantly changing and evolving, and it’s important that you spend the time it takes to keep up with at least the biggest of these changes.
Set dates for these evaluations ahead of time, and stick to a schedule — say, once every six months. Staying on top of any glitches or mistakes in your social media will make it easier to keep your accounts in peak shape, and it will make it more likely that your accounts will benefit your company both now and into the future. Â
Brad Richardson
Brad is a regular contributor to numerous websites within multiple industries and is frequently hired by webmasters to write about specific topics for their sites. He also loves writing about video games almost as much as he loves playing them. Brad is also the founder and creator of littlestbookshelf.com, where children’s books are regularly reviewed.
