Social Media Tips
Social media is thought of by many business owners and entrepreneurs as a necessary evil. My response is that yes, it IS necessary because that is where most potential clients and customers are looking for you. However, with a clear, concise strategy and implementation plan, it DOES NOT necessarily have to be evil.
Here are a few tips on how to navigate the ever-changing digital landscape based on my years of working as a social media marketer and the many interviews I’ve had with digital marketing experts on America Trends.
DO place more value on the quality of your followers rather than the quantity. Gone are the days of needing 100K followers for street cred. The most important metric is how engaged your followers are via comments, saves, shares and, ultimately, purchases, which leads to…
DO NOT buy followers. Your reach will tank and everyone can tell that your follower number is fake.
DO NOT try to be everything to everyone on every platform. Research the sites that interest you and are relevant to your business and pick 1-3. You can repurpose content across the channels,
which leads me to…
DO NOT use the same exact wording and messaging on all the platforms. The verbiage and tone (and maybe even the usage of emojis) should vary based on which platform you are on. Minor tweaks based on who you’re mentioning and what your call-to-action is all you need.
DO offer value in your posts like tips, discounts and special offers that non-followers will not get access to.
DO consider your own personal brand on sites like Instagram and LinkedIn to build yourself up as a credible, trustworthy source on your particular subject/industry.
DO NOT feel the need to post multiple times a day, or even every day, if you don’t have anything relevant to say. Feeds are saturated so there is no need to clog them up even more with content that is not intentional or purposeful.
DO invest in a social media strategist The talented and tenacious owner of Strut Communications, Gabriella Layne-Avery, is a recurring featured guest on America Trends, providing invaluable tips and insight into the latest trends of social media marketing. She has started a consulting business that is very affordable for small businesses in which she helps provide content ideas that are in alignment with your brand. Finding someone like her to help you strategize, sift through the weeds and really get to the crux of how you can use social media to your advantage (and your bottom line) is KEY.
Mary Burt-Godwin is the host of America Trends on the BizTV network.
