Leveraging social media for business purposes is a chance for brands to take off.
Major networks serve as powerful vehicles for driving business and spreading brand awareness. Alas, there are many ways to mess things up and hurt your brand. You need to know what works and what a no-go zone is.
Learning from our own mistakes is an option. But, the smart way is drawing lessons from fizzles and success stories of others. We are here to showcase a bit of both and teach you how to market yourself on social media properly.
So, without further ado, let’s get down to business.
1. Don’t: Spread Yourself Too Thin
Many brands set up multiple social accounts only to underutilize them.
This common mistake harms brand reputation and image. What happens, for example, if someone tries to contact you via chat and ends up waiting forever? Well, that someone is bound to feel let down.
Similarly, an inactive account gives away the impression of a non-approachable and outdated brand. You’re better off opening only as many accounts as you can reliably handle.
2. Do: Choose Optimal Posting Times
Timing is an essential component of success on social media.
The basic idea is quite simple. You want to post when most of your target audience is online.
Here, we should point out the COVID-19 has altered optimal posting times. As people stay at home more, user activity is more consistent throughout the week.
On Facebook, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10-11 a.m. are the best times. Before, it used to be Wednesday only. Of course, the times vary depending on social media in question.
3. Don’t: Blatantly Self-Promote
Interaction with consumers is always a two-way street.
You shouldn’t use social media as a stage for bragging about how great you are. This kind of dollars-first approach puts people off more than anything else. Brands are there for their followers, not the other way around.
This is to say to refrain from sales pitches, at least for some time. Develop a strong brand persona first and solve problems and pain points your audience has. You will boost engagement and foster trust and loyalty around your brand.
4. Do: Have a Varied Content Mix
Content is the undisputed ruler of the social media landscape, but it’s not created equal.
Dry, text-only posts tend to underperform compared to those infused with visual flair. Video is the king in terms of engagement, but it can be expensive to produce. We also have infographics and images as magnets for social signals.
The lesson is clear: you should alternate between content formats and different ways of delivering information. By keeping things interesting and fresh, you also keep the audience hooked.
5. Don’t: Remain Static
In the bustling social media ecosystem, everything is in flux, and nothing set in stone.
Just take a look at the massive disruption COVID-19 Pandemic has caused, forcing brands to adjust their strategies. On one hand, it opened new opportunities to sell and engage. On the other, it created a new minefield we have to navigate.
For instance, many businesses had to call off their promotional campaigns because they suddenly became “insensitive” or “inappropriate”. In case you’re unsure of how to proceed in times like these, partner up with a trusted digital marketing agency.
6. Do: Automate Thoughtfully
Automation is no fad, but a real game-changer in the world of social media marketing.
It makes your life much easier and saves a tremendous amount of resources. You can automate content scheduling and posting, as well as social listening and monitoring. So, pick an automation platform or app that suits your specific needs.
Remember the ultimate trick is not to lose your personal touch in the process. Modify your messages and posts based on the instant social network you’re using and audience preferences.
7. Don’t: Cater to Everyone
Scattergun tactics fall short in the age of hyper-personalization and big data.
It falls shy of coming across as authentic and personal. Those are two qualities most users want to see in businesses of today. And some of the most accomplished brands are at the forefront because they target specific audiences.
You can accomplish this too if you harness demographic data points and create customer personas. This prep work gives you a blueprint for developing your tone of voice and core messages.
8. Do: Track Your Performance
Social media monitoring is a ubiquitous best practice.
It gives you a chance to measure the effectiveness of your efforts without any guesswork involved. You just have to select your key performance indicators (KPIs) and set up analytics tools.
When it comes to KPIs, the list of candidates is long. Most brands track impressions, post reach, engagement rates, conversion rates, click-through rates, etc.
Your choices depend on the overarching marketing goals and strategies. Just remember to refine your social media strategy over time, based on the findings you obtain.
9. Don’t: Ignore Comments and Questions
Many businesses struggle to keep up with the avalanche of user comments and questions.
This is a time-consuming activity but one that has to be performed. An overwhelmingly positive response indicates you’ve done something right (and a bad one means you really must pay attention to adjust course). You should never rest on the laurels.
Try to sustain the momentum by engaging with the followers. At the same time, don’t ignore negative reviews and complaints, as these problems don’t simply go away.
Finally, note that it’s not necessary to respond to every single comment. Learn to prioritize without alienating segments of your follower base.
How to Market Yourself on Social Media: The Correct Path
Knowing how to market yourself on social media is a fine art.
As you’ve seen, it requires a great deal of finesse and forethought. To lay the groundwork, get your priorities straight and line up your resources.
Next off, do in-depth research to understand what your followers crave and need. Start experimenting with various forms of content and brew a diverse marketing mix.
Rely on etiquette best practices to avoid various brand-tarnishing missteps. Focus on cultivating meaningful, long-lasting relationships with the audience. Strive to help more and sell less.
Browse our marketing section to arm yourself with more insights. More power to you!