Does the thought of being a social media master seem impossible to you?
Do you think your organization could really benefit from a successful social media strategy, but don’t know how to get there?
Hey everyone, my name is Alyssa and I’m the social media specialist here at GDLOFT. Take it from me, social media is an awesome tool that can really up your game and make your organization stand out. However, so many people are intimidated, confused or just downright scared of it and because of this, they lose out on such a great opportunity! Luckily, I have been working in the world of social media for quite some time now and have acquired some pretty useful tips and tricks on how to maneuver it. Keep reading to find out our top do’s and don’ts for those starting out on social media!
Don’t
Mix business with pleasure
One of the biggest mistakes you can do is mix your professional and personal content on your business accounts. Too often people forget who their audience is and post something that would be better off on a personal account. There’s a time and a place for those vacation pics, and it is not on your business page.
Posting unprofessional content not only confuses people but also lowers your organization’s credibility and deters potential clients from wanting your goods/services. Everyone handling your organization's social media accounts should have a clear idea of what type of content is acceptable, and know how to properly and professionally speak to your target market.
Be inconsistent
In this day and age everyone believes their organization HAS to be on social media in order to be successful. Although social media is a huge part of marketing and can help boost your success, it can also very easily and quickly become your weakest link. The only thing worse than not being on social media, is being on social media and doing a really poor job at maintaining it.
Upkeeping social media accounts can be daunting and sometimes organizations just don’t have the resources to give it the full attention it needs. This causes accounts to lack substance and become a ghost town of old posts and sloppy attempts at posting content. If this is the case for your organization, it’s better to axe the platform all together. Stick with something you know you can maintain and looks pleasing to your audience. If that means you delete your Instagram account and only direct your audience to your website, so be it. You want to highlight your good features and hide the bad ones (that being a run down social media account).
Abuse hashtags
Oh hashtags, those little metadata tags have seriously become a game changer when it comes to social media. Hashtags are a great way to target a specific group and link relevant conversations together. They can be a great asset to your social media efforts, but they can also be extremely harmful if used incorrectly. Misusing and abusing hashtags can not only confuse people but also stop them from following your account. Using too many hashtags in your captions creates a sense of clutter and distracts your audience from your content! It’s best to do your research and study up on what platforms you should be using hashtags on, how to use them effectively, and how many to have!
Do
Post thoughtful content
Make sure the content you are posting reflects your organization, and its values and beliefs. In addition to your content matching you, it should also match the audience you are targeting. Too often people post whatever they can just so say they were active instead of taking the time to create thoughtful and credible content that will intrigue and engage their audience.
Take some time and brainstorm ideas of relative content you should be sharing. Having a case of writer’s block? Look to others in your industry and see what they are posting for some easy inspiration. Posting random, left-field content is a waste of time and won’t get you the results you are looking for.
Interact with your audience
Not only should you be posting on your platforms consistently, but you should also be interacting with your audience consistently. Doing so will increase your page’s engagements substantially. People like feeling like they are important and are being heard.
If someone comments a compliment on your page, make sure to like it and comment back thanking them for the recognition! Acknowledge your top fans, and comment on other relevant pages. Doing simple things makes such a big difference!
Our biggest advice to you is to designate an hour each day to your social media accounts and interacting with your audience. Trust me, that time is well spent.
Be transparent
In addition to interacting with your audience, you should always be transparent with them as well. There’s nothing worse than an organization that completely ignores criticism and doesn’t address customer issues or concerns. Be honest with your followers. Admit when you screw up. It’s much better to take responsibility and address the issue at hand, than to ignore it and pretend everything is fine when both you and your audience know it is NOT. Your audience respects you and it’s important to show that you respect them back.
Feeling better now? After having some general knowledge and research, social media success becomes a lot less daunting and much more attainable. Whether you are in the process of creating your social media presence, looking to revamp your strategy, or trying to undo old mistakes, these do’s and don’ts will surely help you reach your goals.
Need help putting together a social media strategy? Reach out! Click here to contact us.