For more than 10 years, social networks have transformed the way we communicate. And businesses are no exception: more and more companies, large and small, are using social media as a marketing method. According to INSEE, 40% of companies with 10 or more people have one or more accounts on social networks.
But today, for companies, it is no longer a question of whether to promote its products or services on social networks. It’s about how to use them to your advantage. Investing in a social media management has been proven to ultimately lead to improved traffic, brand visibility, and customer satisfaction. It is even the first point to develop if you want to strengthen the digital visibility of your brand. However, communications officers often have neither the time nor the resources to be present 24 hours a day on ten platforms.
So, how you can make the most of your brand’s presence on social media? Here are 6 easy- to-use tips that will help you better manage your business’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other accounts.
1. Schedule your publications
Time is precious for communication officers. To gain as much as possible, it is important to schedule the publication of content on social networks. Since social networks are intimately linked to marketing, you have to start creating content as soon as the overall marketing strategy (and the campaigns that go with it) is defined. By planning ahead, you’ll have a clearer picture of where the posts are going.
Three steps to take to better manage your publications:
- Create an editorial calendar to keep track of all your posts. An editorial calendar centralizes all the content. It can be easily updated, which will make it easier for your team members to collaborate.
- Entrust the publication of your content to a person dedicated to social networks.
- Devote your time to strategic decisions and hire a social media specialist who will bring new creative ideas. You can start your collaboration by validating his ideas before publication to ensure the quality of his messages.
Use a planning tool
Most social media management software lets you plan content over several weeks or even months, and track the performance of your campaigns. The more you post, the more you improve the engagement of your posts with your community.
Pro tip: If you schedule your posts well ahead of time, keep an eye on the news. In event of a natural misadventure or other dramatic event, you may need to review the planned content to ensure that it is still appropriate.
2. Adapt the content to your audience
The amount of content you post gives more weight to your social media presence, but it’s mostly the quality of your posts that matters. Without a social media strategy tailored to your target audience, your social media efforts will be lost in a tide of content.
If your business sells baby clothes, share information and tips that are of value and interest to new moms. If you are targeting intrepid travelers, create content, texts, and images that speak to them (distant landscapes, tips on the contents of their backpack…).
Pro tip: Use Facebook’s great targeting options to target very specific behaviors and interests.
3. Stand out from the crowd
Once you’ve identified your target audience, how do you stand out to grab the attention of your potential customers?
Facebook had 2.27 billion monthly active users worldwide. It’s not easy for a brand to break through and get noticed in such a mass of traffic.
The secret to success? The authenticity of the content.
Don’t just post product info and promotions – focus on creating original content developed for a community of (potential) customers.
For example, create a series of posts about best practices in your industry. Post a new episode every week, just like a TV show. Your followers will cling to it for sure!
Pro tip: Use Facebook Live (live content) and Instagram Stories (ephemeral content posting) to spice up your posts even more.
4. Count on your community
Nothing like a community to improve the impact of your content and the engagement of your customers. And the attention you pay to this community directly influences the image you send to your prospects. Be responsive and aim right.
A car dealership should instead publish photos of beautiful cars than the monthly promotions, quite simply because it will have a better chance of reaching its audience: a beautiful car sells more dreams than a simple promotion, which will only affect the rational fiber of the potential buyer.
Or if, for example, you run a business with one or more physical outlets, you can play on geographic proximity: tag certain places in your city to make your presence known to local prospects.
Pro tip: Respond to comments quickly and create stories your followers want to play a part in. Take advantage of local events and discussion topics initiated by your community.
5. Measure the outcomes you have an influence on
Once your tailor-made and targeted content is published, all you have to do is answer a question: do they have the expected effect? But how do you monitor and verify the effectiveness of your actions on social networks?
First and foremost, you have to differentiate between vanity metrics, those flattering metrics that you have no control over (the number of likes on a post, for example), and metrics that you can influence. On each social network, measure different elements such as engagement (number of interactions, shares, retweets, etc.) or the number of subscribers.
Keep in mind that your subscribers or followers and those who like your publications have different profiles: only the former is asking for your content.
Also, consider setting clear benchmarks and goals: for example, is followed by twice as many people in the next 12 months and posting content twice a week, with the idea of convincing X% more followers each. Month. You can then assess the progress of your strategy and reorient your objectives and working methods along the way, if necessary.
Pro tip: Using social media monitoring software can help you dig deeper into data analysis.
6. Captivate your customers to retain them
As your online presence grows, you have more opportunities to interact directly with your customers. Take this opportunity to be responsive and to charm your customers with personal touches.
Take the example of GreenPal, an American company that provides lawn care services. They found an original way to create a personal bond and leave an unforgettable memory with their customers by being interested in something dear to them: their four-legged friends!
When a customer calls on the services of GreenPal, he is systematically asked if he has a pet (or more). Initially, it was for security reasons (so that the technicians take it into account during the intervention), but GreenPal decided to use it in its marketing strategy.
These customers receive personalized gifts for their pets. And it works: Customers post thank you notes and videos of dogs playing with their gifts on their Facebook and Twitter accounts. Amazing results on social networks for a minimal investment of time and money.
Professional advice: A conquered customer is an ambassador of choice on social networks. When you get much feedbacks, ask if you can post it (on Google Review, for example, or better, directly on your website).
Social networks and business
As the generation born during and after the eruption of social networks grows, the place of this mode of communication is not about to decrease, on the contrary. In the future, it will even be more and more prominent. While 38 million people were active on the networks in 2018, companies have every interest in not lowering their guard if they want to succeed, and communication officers must, therefore, take the time to apply the right strategy.
So if you don’t know how to make the most of your social media presence and improve your online reputation, start by equipping yourself with social media management software and applying the 6 tips presented in this article. You will have already taken a good step forward!
DigiTexture 