Social Media, it is not exactly new to the world of business. In fact we are approaching a decade since the creation of Twitter - March 21, 2006 to be precise. However the number of businesses that operate without social media platforms - of any kind - is still staggering to us. We are often faced with the attitude from business owners that it is not necessary for their business.
Marketers who have prioritized blogging are 13x more likely to enjoy positive ROI. (HubSpot State of Inbound, 2014)
Everyone tells you that you need to have social media for your business. Right? Are you on Twitter? Do you have a Facebook page?
"Facebook isn't right for us."
"We definitely do not need Instagram!"
"Twitter - no way - what would we say?"
We hear it all the time. So let me try to help you see your way past the negativity.
Social media done properly - all platforms - can be the most complimentary addition to your digital marketing strategy. A solid (and proven) way to get your message from your website to the people.
Many clients tell us their most common form of new lead is word of mouth - which is brilliant. Word of mouth is a great way to get leads - but what if that is not working for you - or not working enough for you.
Social Media is the new word of mouth.
Generation Y or Millennials, have never known the world without social media. They have grown up with it, it is as intrinsic to them as using the telephone for the Gen X's.
Facebook is their word of mouth, they recommend great experiences to their friends and followers. Twitter is a platform for them to show their emotions and opinions. Instagram is where they show their flair for fancy photos and weekend activities. Each of these posts can mention your business - if you are on social media.
This generation is your new wave of customers. If you are not on social media how are they going to learn more about your business and what you can offer?
Social media is just that - Social.
So when we are planning the Social strategy and looking at content for clients, we try to keep the content just that - social. What are your followers and likers interested in? What do they like to do on the weekend? We don't always share stories that come from your own website - we share other interesting content as well.
Tell great stories - Chances are the people that do follow you want to hear from you. So tell them great things, telling a story that people want to read is not new let’s face it!
Keep talking to your audience - a tweet last for 2 minutes. A statistic that is always met with surprise. We always recommend tweeting more often - much more often. If you are not tweeting at least each day, then you are missing the mark. The more you tweet, the more you get seen, the more followers you gain and the all important, more clicks to your website.
Discover more great tips on how to grow your twitter following here.
Social Media on all levels, is a great way to talk to your customer. It is also a great way to listen to them. Customers can leave a review on your facebook page, interact with your instagram posts, retweet your tweets. In turn, this is social media “word of mouth” working its magic. This sort of interaction helps the virality of posts.
Instagram, in particular, is a great way to take a business and brand and start to show off some behind the scenes. Bring some personality into the mix. Photos of people always work well, people love to see people.
Want to know more about Instagram for your business? You can learn more here.
So, before you write social media off - or consider one platform better than another - give it some more thought. Are your competitors on the channels that you are not? Do you want to be seen as an innovator in your industry or a business playing catch up?
