Blogs > Social Media Marketing
Today it is rare to find a company that is not attempting to engage consumers via social media, or at the very least any that not aware of the potential benefits of doing so.
Social networks in various forms have now been around for a number of years and are taking over the way people communicate with each other. However, there are many companies who are unsure how to communicate with their customers using social media. And fair enough – there are a number of aspects that every company needs to understand before clicking on ‘Create a Page/Profile/Account’.
Be strategic
When deciding to set up a company social media account you need to ensure that:
a) That doing so ultimately falls within your overall online marketing strategy, and;
b) That the people you are targeting are socially active online.
You also need to have clearly defined goals. This doesn’t mean focusing on the number of followers or likes, but rather developing engagement with those online. You need to reach out to people who want to hear about your company – whether it be your customers, the media, key influencers within your market or simply those who actually care about what you have to say.
You have to be the right person in the right place, not one or the other
Your target audience isn’t going to be active on every social media network. Or they may be, but their mindset might not match the message you are trying to push. At the initial stages it is crucial to find out where your audience is active online and how they are using the networks they’re on.
Most of us keep our personal and professional lives separate – and this applies to online networking as well. This means that you need to figure out where your product or message ‘fits in’ to your customers’ lives.
You may find that your audience is active on Facebook but the message you are trying to push doesn’t match their mindset while using Facebook. Alternatively, you might find them on LinkedIn, but if you sell leisure products that don’t relate to their professional lives, they may be unwilling to engage with you.
Think like a customer
When it comes to personal social media profiles, you always have a purpose for your account, whether you realise it or not.
On Facebook, for example, you go on the site to catch up with friends, take a look at what others are up to and entertain yourself watching videos and checking out photos. If there was a company trying to sell you professional services (for example through an ad or sponsored post), you would more than likely just completely ignore it.
However, if they were able to provide you some light-hearted entertainment you would be more likely to engage with them, because that is why you’re on Facebook in the first place.
The reverse is true on LinkedIn; you (usually) have a different mindset, and are looking to read and share thoughtful, in-depth content.
Tailor the shoe to fit
So how do you reach and engage as many people as possible? Optimise your content strategy to each platform. If your company is socially active on a number of different platforms, alter the angle of the content you share on each one to appeal to the audience that it will reach.
