So – what’s social all about?
It’s not about posts where you’re ramming your products down people’s throats, hoping they’ll start throwing money at you.
It’s not about a single Facebook post showing off your latest macchiato. Even if it’s got an extra-cool logo in the foam.
It’s about nurturing your existing audience, growing it and reminding people why they can trust you. Importantly, using social media effectively as a business requires effort, consistency and commitment.
We know. That doesn’t sound awfully fun. But here’s the thing. When it’s done properly, social media can generate new customers, retain existing customers and help your business brand become more positive.
Here are the key things you need to think about when you’re setting out on a journey to social stardom.
Who you’re talking to
Firstly, we’ve got to figure out who you’re talking to. This is a biggie.
If you’ve got personas of your audiences, great! If you haven’t, then it’s time to start thinking about your ideal customer.
Importantly, depending on what platform you’re using, you’ll need to consider if they’re actively using it. For example, if you’re a business reaching out to 16-18 year olds to sell the next big thing in useless fun (see fidget spinners) – you’re probably not going to find them on Linkedin.
What you’re saying
Your core messaging should be pre-determined and consistent. That’s going to offer the best chance of success, but also allows for a set of call-to-actions that can be measured on their effectiveness.
After a few months, you might realise that the hard sell isn’t working, and nobody is knocking on the door begging to buy your latest eBook. Which is a shame, because we’d heard it was really good.
But you may realise that the softer sell, pushing customers towards your FAQ section or video content, is proving more effective.
Social media content is always changing, but it’s important that you try and determine your voice and your intended targets for your content as early as possible.
How you’re saying it
Are you being too forceful? Too casual? Similar to your messaging, it’s important that you’re getting the tone of voice correct within your social media posts.
When you’ve got five different members of staff, who all communicate differently, posting to your social channels, it can be hard for your audience to get a grasp of your brand identity.
Prior to any social media campaign, you should ensure you’re talking in one clear voice that is targeted at your ideal customer.
Why you’re saying it
In a world with plenty of fluff, fodder and nonsense – don’t add fuel to the fire.
You should be communicating clearly to your audience, providing a mixture of free value, education, engagement and sales content that will generate emotional responses that, in turn, generate sales.
Don’t lose sight of your goals just because you’re focused on engagement. As we said at the start of the blog, you might get plenty of likes on a picture of a coffee but, vanity metrics aside, is it making them any more likely to buy from you?
What may make them more likely to buy is a sense of value and entertainment from following your page.
So – what’ll it be?
Nurturing your audience in the long term with a perfect cocktail of content is our jam. Our bread and butter. Our…. yeah, ok, that was probably enough anyway.
If you want to carry on doing your own social media posting, using our blog as a guide – that’s great. We love being able to help businesses get seen online.
But if you’re thinking maaaaybe you’d rather let us take care of it. Y’know, save time, get better content and get to work with us every month – we’d love to chat.
Give us a call on 023 80 000 212. Rather a callback? Drop us an email at [email protected].
