Is Your Brand Ready To Be Social?
Here are 7 tips that can help you decide if you're ready to jump on the social media bandwagon:
Surprisingly, there are a lot of business owners out there who aren’t aware of what social media actually is (or how it can benefit their company). And there are some companies that are on social media networks, but aren’t quite sure why. In both cases, they just know they need to be on it.
Trying to wrap your head around campaigns, strategies, community building, likes, comments, RTs and shares can be very overwhelming. And making the switch from a personal account to a professional one can be tricky. So how do you know if you want your brand to be social?
Here are 7 tips that can help you decide if you’re ready to jump on the social media bandwagon:
1. It’s your brand that matters.
Try not to be too stressed or concerned about who is liking your Facebook page or following you on Twitter. With the exception of “spammers” and “bots”, your genuine followers like you for a reason. It’s better to have 100 people that like your posts, comment on your videos and share your news than having 1000 people who don’t. Quality always overrides Quantity when it comes to popularity count.
2. It isn’t a monster, zombie or clown.
Social media shouldn’t be scary; it should be fun! It’s thrilling to connect with your customers in realtime. Having online conversations and interacting with them on a regular basis can help reinforce customer service with current clients and establish a new kind of relationship with potential ones. It’s probable that somewhere down the line you will get some sort of negative backlash. But if you have the right attitude and preparation, you can turn that negative into a positive.
3. It isn’t new.
I hate to break it to you - but social media isn’t novel. It’s core principles are older than traditional advertising. Social media is “word of mouth” amplified. Remember when you used to talk to people to find out what products to buy and where to go? Well, social media gives you a microphone to send your message across. It gives you an opportunity to say something for everyone to hear.
4. It increases in value (over time).
Building your online presence is a lot like building your business. It takes a lot of work and time before you see any real payoff. Social media platforms may be moving a mile a minute, but people still appreciate companies who take the time to acknowledge them, show them respect and most importantly, listen to what they are saying. Once you recognize just how much value social media can hold - it will make you rich in ways you never imagined.
5. It’s not just about small talk.
Sharing everything you do that day isn’t exciting, it’s annoying. But showing that you’re human every once and while can be extremely beneficial. It helps to establish a more personable and friendly online presence and encourages your audience to talk with you. Chances are, people who love your brand/company also love the people behind it.
6. It isn’t magic.
Social media is not an elixir that will cure a brand of all its problems or a potion that will make people fall in love with your company. And you can forget about any smoke and mirrors. When it comes to social media, there are no tricks - just truth.
7. It’s unpredictable.
Social media should play an important role in your overall marketing strategy, but it shouldn’t be your only strategy. It can solve problems, but it’s not an equation. 1 + 1 doesn’t always = 2. Trying the same tactics, strategies and content time and again won’t guarantee the same results. So don’t be afraid to experiment! See the type of responses you get from your audience and go from there.
Trust your gut and follow your heart.