When you hear about a new business, what’s the first thing you do?
Look them up online? For me, I look them up social media.
No Instagram page? Disaster.
Has an instagram presence but they’ve posted 3 times in a year? What a waste of time.
Businesses that do not take their social media presence seriously are missing out on an opportunity to build a new or larger audience, target a new market and test new comms, products or services.
Facebook and Instagram usage is up by 50% since the start of the pandemic according to Forbes. Social media is the go-to for connecting, staying up dated and breaking news; I open Twitter for the latest news not theage.com.
So with so many platforms at play and users relying on it more than ever for their dose of connectivity and up-to-date info which platforms are right for your business?
Just because everyone is using TikTok doesn’t mean you should and 280 Twitter characters might be the cream for journalists but for a tapware company, perhaps not. Think about your target audience, who are they, how are they spending their days right now? Are they looking to your company for breaking news, updated service offerings, solutions to their lock down problems or a bit of light hearted content?
You must define your audience before you dive into your chosen social platform. Tapware could be dry content (pardon the pun) but it doesn’t have to be if you hero great photographic content and put thought into how your customers will be using your product in their homes or businesses, so Instagram would be a no brainer in that example.
So you’ve found your target audience, picked your platform and you’ve got some content planned – so you set and you forget. Wrong!
If you manage your social media like a box that needs to be ticked you’ll get about as much use from it as a plane ticket during a global crisis. You need to be prepared to pivot your content as the environment changes, engage with your community – see what they’re up to – as the saying goes “You get out what you put in” and this is tried and true with social media.
Also true is the reminder that customers won’t remember what you said but they’ll remember how you made them feel. When they’re scrolling your content what value are they gaining? Are you offering them tips and tricks, time hacks, money savers, discounts…anything?! Consumers want value, they need value and you’re going to have to part with some expert knowledge or service for free if you want to get that customer through your virtual door. Leave your customers with a social media experience that made them feel like you knew them, what they wanted and made their job much easier when it comes to picking where they spend their money.
So if you don’t have a social media presence nor a seo-optimised website – well there’s no time like right now!
Like the guy that said the Internet would never take off, I’m sorry to say; social media isn’t going anywhere and it’s a tool you can harness to build your brand, your audience and your sales.
– Marlo Grover