Whether you’re managing a brand or a persona online, you’re undoubtedly aware of the importance of social media. Many businesses are active in social media but simply aren’t doing enough to manage their “social life.” There’s often no clear strategy, no direction, and no means to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns. In order to get the most out of social media and build a strong brand, you must have a clear plan and strategy. Here are five fundamental things you can do to improve your brand’s social life.
1. Determine Your Brand’s Identity and Establish Authority
You have to keep in mind that you are competing for attention in social media. Don’t expect people to latch on to you just because you’re on social media and seem to have some decent posts. First, identify the strengths of your company and brand. What can your brand offer that your competitors can’t? How can you convey that in a way that delivers value through social media?
The last thing you want to do is to solely use social media as a channel to promote your products or services. You want to build some kind of identity whether it’s a persona or a brand voice that is unique and appealing. From there, you want to figure out how you can deliver value to establish a relationship and authority.
2. Target the Right Audience and Find Out What They’re Looking For
While you may think that it’s a good idea to target a general audience in a given marketplace, it will probably be more beneficial to target specific audiences. If you think about it, your brand probably appeals to a certain audience already. And if that’s the case, it wouldn’t be too beneficial to try to please everyone and not connect with your most profitable audience.
In addition to targeting the right audience, you need to deliver the right content. It’s important to really dig deep and study your audience. Look for stories, trends and common problems, frequently asked questions, and anything else that’s connected to your audience. Sharing content that’s relevant and valuable to them will help you establish a following on social media.
3. Open the Channels of Communication and Create Engagement
It’s very common for many companies to treat social media like a megaphone. The reality is that social media is a tool for interaction. Its original purpose was to build a bridge to connect people on the Internet. Talking with your followers, customers, and potential customers on social media will create a transparency that leads to trust, authority and a strong relationship.
You want to comment on posts that people make about you, reply to feedback, and even ask questions. This creates engagement with your audience and establishes your social media page as a hub where people can freely discuss relevant topics.
4. Network with the Right Connectors and Influencers
One of the great things about social media is that it can help you connect with others in your industry. It’s a great networking tool as you can instantly engage with other people, take part in popular conversations, and deliver value to potential business partners by sharing their posts. That’s why you want to treat social media not only as a medium to engage your audience but also a medium to build business relationships.
It’s easy to break the ice on social media. All you need to do is to reply to a connector or influencer’s post. You can even provide feedback on their post and share it with your readers, which is an act that many people value. While being social on social media won’t instantly lead to profitable business deals, it’s a great way to open the doors to possible relationships.
5. Build a Reputation and Monitor It on a Regular Basis
One of the negative aspects of social media is that it can be easy for competitors to spread lies and rumors about your business. Disgruntled customers can also post complaints about you to their followers. That’s why you need to take part in damage control by managing your reputation. There are many reputation tools that will find and track conversation about you so that you can address any problems and clear up any falsities. But don’t just stop at damage control. Think about how you can build your reputation online. Viral content, contests, online events, and press releases are all great ways to create a positive reputation.
