1. Is your business using the right social media channels?
It’s important to be fussy when it comes to choosing the right social media channels for your business. Why? Depending on your business type, some channels work better than others. For instance, if you sell products that lend themselves well to being photographed, a Pinterest account could be right for your business. If you are more in the B2B space, LinkedIn could be the way to go. Have a think about who your customers are and which social media platforms do you think they spend most of their time on? What about your competitors? Which channels are they on? If you choose the right channels for your business you will find your audience.
2. Do you find it hard to come with ideas for new content?
It can be a challenge to come up with new and interesting content and done really well, it could almost become a full time job. But as a Small Business Owner you don’t really have the luxury of time so you need to work smarter rather than harder. In a recent blog post, we spoke about the importance of good quality content for your business. What content do you already have available within your business? Content can be far and wide ranging and include anything from FAQ’s to How to Guides, to blog posts and Tips. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Look at what you already have and re-purpose it. Turn your FAQ’s into individual blog posts for example or use your blog posts to form the basis of your company newsletter and so on. If you really are hard pressed to come up with content ideas and need some inspiration Google Alerts can be invaluable. You can specify terms and topics that you want Google to make you aware of by way of email alerts. If you haven’t started using Google Alerts already I recommend that you take a look as Google monitors the web for relevant news saving you time and hassle.
3. Are you using Social Media to build your audience and engage?
It is important that you use your chosen Social Media platforms as a means of building a relationship with your audience. Countless companies simply use their Business profile pages as a way of pushing out special offers and no real thought is given to what the audience is interested in and wants to know about. Share interesting content from other, relevant sources where possible and promote your business in other ways rather than just through special offers. Some examples of alternative messages to communicate through Social Media include important announcements or updates that your audience needs to be aware of, quizzes or polls or surveys. By posting content that enables your audience to interact with your business and your brand you are building relationships. Ask questions on social media of your audience, seek their feedback and make sure you respond to comments (good and bad – more on that in the next tip).
4. Are you across what your audience is saying about you and responding to comments?
Social media gives your customers and audience another way of contacting your business so make sure you respond. People use social media to share good and bad feedback on products or services so it’s important to make sure you are aware of what is being said about your business and secondly, to respond to it. If someone has said they liked your product thank them for it on social media. If someone has posted bad feedback address it (professionally) and show that you care about your customers.
If you have any questions on how to make Social Media work harder for you or need any help from the experts get in touch on 1300 966 266.