Social Media is now part of our everyday lives, whether we are referring to our personal or our business accounts.
These will remain mere figures, unless you can turn them to your business’ advantage.
But remember – a greater number of internet users means a more and varied needs to be satisfied, as well as higher expectations.
What do you do in this case?
You adjust. But how?
Social Media does not just sit around. The people behind Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn et al. permanently develop algorithms which sometimes help you, and sometimes take you to a dead end. As a simple user, you can only adjust.
But, in order to easily overcome these obstacles, here are several tips & tricks for you, which come in handy for business accounts. You can persuade and draw customers in the online environment much more efficiently.
Initially
When you are building an online brand, one of the necessary basic strategies consists of choosing a platform which corresponds to your business type. For instance, if you intend to sell handmade decorations, LinkedIn is not the right platform, as it mainly addresses B2B relationships. Alternatively, on Facebook you can actually appeal to the right segment.
The moment you’ve established which network to use,
that is where the work really starts.
Social Media is not effective if you do not work on creating or improving your online image, your interaction with the customers and the products or services you are selling.
Have you already come up with a wow product and have you determined the target audience? That’s great! Now it’s time for you to set up a Social Media communication style, as well as a unique visual identity.
What you are selling may very well dictate the communication and community management style. A more formal language may be appropriate for head-hunting on LinkedIn, but it will not help promote your coffee shop on Instagram. Choose carefully!
The images…
Are the most important ones in Social Media. And in this whirlpool of pictures, you must come to the surface and stand out.
Whether you have a strategy which relies on graphic images or on pictures taken with your own mobile phone, make sure they are the best possible quality. These are times when our greatest fantasies are perfectly captured and sold with a single online post. Keep up! Give people something to dream about, something they desire just by looking at a picture.
We recommend using as little filtering and as few touch-ups as possible, in order to provide the most truthful image of the products, of the people and of the services you are promoting.
Develop a posting plan adjusted to every network and, in order to facilitate your work, you can even use systems which schedule and monitor your Social Media posts.
Don’t forget about the videos!
We have repeatedly reminded of this practice, having counted it among the 2019 digital marketing trends; however, it is important to emphasize, on each occasion, that videos now play an important part in Social Media as well as in the SEO strategies.
You can use any type of video to convey your message and make it viral. Whether you choose to make dedicated videos for each platform or to start a vlog, this promotion alternative will definitely be appreciated and easy to follow.
The next step…
Consists of analyzing you followers’ reactions to your Social Media Posts.
These days, the purpose of daily posts is to create a community which resonates with your company’s values. Afterwards, if you manage to persuade them, the same people will become your faithful customers. But, in order to get there, you need to permanently monitor the activity associated to your online profiles and to respond to the internauts’ needs and requirements.
You should also monitor what the best times are for posting, as well as the type of posts which are appreciated by your target audience. Analyze the reactions and adjust your strategy along the way, as algorithms may change from one day to another, affecting the impact, the reach and the engagement of your posts.
Social Media and SEO
You need to know that each Social Media Channel has SEO potential for your site. That is the reason why posting articles which may become viral, where this is possible, is more than recommendable. It is mandatory!
In order to monitor your community’s reactions, post an article repeatedly, promoting it differently. You can either attach a different picture, share it as a story or change the description of the post in order to see the reactions. People’s response to various types of communications may very well surprise you!
Insert hashtag + emoji
Emojis develop new communication styles, at personal level, as well as B2C. They are easy to read, to interpret, and they replace redundant words in an interactive manner. We often use them in Social Media plans and there’s a tremendous difference as compared to the older posts.
Equally, when it comes to hashtags, we are just as unsparing. People get to profiles which are of interest to them by searching and monitoring hashtags. So why not use as many as possible to describe your Instagram pictures? The limit is 30, and the reach improves with each added #.
Just as a little secret, try adding hashtags with very specific words and expressions, to the detriment of the general ones.
However, don’t overuse them on Facebook or LinkedIn and don’t use the same ones repeatedly. The more diverse they are, the more chances you have to reach an increasing number of internauts.
Are you just now starting your Social Media journey? Check out the labels used by your competitors and add the same ones. Also, create a customized # and monitor people’s interactions with your brand.
Story-telling
The classical manner of telling stories in writing has now been rendered obsolete by the new options. You now have the possibility to make yourself known by using the story tools provided by each network. Be creative with these, as well, break down barriers and use stories to create engagement.
Quality is not open to negotiation, as a well-made story can bring new customers and immense appreciation! Practice, draw your inspiration and come up with something new every time!
So, what do your stories have to say about you?
Urge people to connect
Remember, the main goal of a business which is present on Social Media should be that of creating a community of people who trust and support your brand. You can only think of sales afterwards.
Because you have to be able to find the right people in order to sell. With such harsh competition, you may be in for a surprise along the way, so you should focus on bringing the audience as close to you as possible. How?
Involve people in your Social Media activity – ask questions, ask for their opinion, and be ready to receive any type of feedback (particularly the negative one). And allow them to ask questions, in their turn. Virtual tours in the office/factory, opinion polls, online Q&As are also among the methods that can help bring people closer to you.
At the same time, you should ideally avoid posts which are desperate to sell. People are looking to enjoy themselves, to learn new things, to be advised and drawn, not coerced into buying.
In conclusion
It is vital to focus on content quality in order to draw followers. Social Media is an excellent way to reach the right people, but it can also become a driver of loss, in the most unexpected ways.
The image of your business on Social Media has to be clean, transparent, honest and pleasant, without overplaying conversions. Use the communication channels so that you can stand out among the multitude of businesses attempting to persuade us every day!
