The Laughing Pea Guide to Social Media

Social Media? Just a case of creating some accounts and twitter and banging out updates here, there and everywhere…….isn’t it?

Below are some good ideas to help you create a solid foundation for your social media strategy:

1. MIX IT UP A BIT

Focusing on one social media channel to promote your business is never a good idea. Your audience (and potential customers to boot) will be spread across numerous social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. If you can develop a following across a number of different channels, whilst stil providing engaging content for that audience, then youíre well on your way.

Recent research has shown that new businesses who start out with two or more social media channels are able to create a much larger audience share than those who simply stick to one. It ís obvious really, our potential customers hang out in all manner of different online spaces and we need to be where they are.
For best results, itís always a good idea to make one of your social media channels the main promotional platform, while others ones play a supporting role. It ís also really important to have an in-depth understanding of one major social media platform before you start looking at promoting yourselves on another. No one wants to be a jack of all trades and master of none!

Try as much as possible to concentrate on social media platforms that have an alliance with your industry. Also, spend some time researching to try and identify where your prospective customers hang out. Once you have this information you will know where best to focus your attention.

2. LEARN HOW SOCIAL MEDIA WORKS

Once you have chosen your ideal platform/s it ís time to start learning. There are hundreds of free online resources out there, such as video tutorials, which can provide you with all the information you need to become proficient at a pace that suits you. There are also a number of digital marketing companies who can provide advice and guidance to get you on your way.

A really great tip is to take a look at how some of the larger multi-national companies operate on social media, they will almost certainly be using tried and tested methods that you can emulate, although on a much smaller scale to begin with. Also, search around for companies similar to yours and look at what theyíre posting and how well it goes down with their followers. No-one is suggesting that you copy anyone, but why not learn from their success and their mistakes.

Learning how social media marketing works on your chosen platform is crucial to the success of your promoting your business.. Though the basics of social media marketing are similar, there will always be a need to modify your tactics to gain the attention of the people you want as your customers.

3. CREATE ENGAGING CONTENT FOR YOUR AUDIENCE

It ís well known that most Social Media spend small chunks of time looking at their updates, especially on mobile devices. It is therefore essential that you create content that draws the viewer in and encourages them to ‘read more’. A huge piece of text is simply not going to cut it, your posts need to be bright, vibrant, relevant and to the point. Itís also really important to encourage the viewer to respond to your post, this could be a like, a retweet, a click to view your website, or even using a ‘call now’ button to give you a call.

It ís also really important not to go over the top. Many businesses often make the mistake of posting on social media several times in a day, and not realizing the impact of not having the right content. Do not post on Social Media just for the sake of it! Choose content that is right for your business aims and objectives, and that will remind people of who you are and what you do well.

Having a close relationship with your audience will also help you with content as they will let you know what they like and what they donít. It is also important to maintain excellent rapport with your audience as it will make them more likely to ask you questions or seek your opinion.

4. TRACK YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

All Social Media platforms give you a wide range of tools in order to monitor the success of your posts. It is really important to use these tools (and other such as Google Analytics) to work out how well you are reaching your audience, and in fact who your audience are. If you fail to look at this information, you might experience a hard time in creating successful Social Media marketing campaigns. If you are paying to promote any Social Media posts then this is even more important – it is your money so make sure you’re spending it wisely!

Identify what type of posts create the most impact for your business? Do people love the videos that you post but donít really bother clicking on links to your blog? Use this information to focus your attention on what is working and what isn’t. You may not need to give up on certain types of posts, but just try and make them look a little more interesting and inviting.

It ís also important to remember, itís not just about getting more followers, comments, and likes. Its great to have all these positive responses, however as a business you need to make money, expand your business, and drive sales. Give your potential customers a reason not to just like you, but more importantly to pick up the phone or give you a visit.

Social Media? Just a case of creating some accounts and twitter and banging out updates here, there and everywhere…….isn’t it?

Below are some good ideas to help you create a solid foundation for your social media strategy:

1. MIX IT UP A BIT

Recent research has shown that new businesses who start out with two or more social media channels are able to create a much larger audience share than those who simply stick to one. It ís obvious really, our potential customers hang out in all manner of different online spaces and we need to be where they are.
For best results, it ís always a good idea to make one of your social media channels the main promotional platform, while others ones play a supporting role. It ís also really important to have an in-depth understanding of one major social media platform before you start looking at promoting yourselves on another. No one wants to be a jack of all trades and master of none!

2. LEARN HOW SOCIAL MEDIA WORKS

A really great tip is to take a look at how some of the larger multi-national companies operate on social media, they will almost certainly be using tried and tested methods that you can emulateÖalthough on a much smaller scale to begin with. Also, search around for companies similar to yours and look at what theyíre posting and how well it goes down with their followers. No-one is suggesting that you copy anyone, but why not learn from their success and their mistakes?

3. CREATE ENGAGING CONTENT FOR YOUR AUDIENCE

Itís well known that most Social Media spend small chunks of time looking at their updates, especially on mobile devices. It is therefore essential that you create content that draws the viewer in and encourages them to ‘read more’. A huge piece of text is simply not going to cut it, your posts need to be bright, vibrant, relevant and to the point. It ís also really important to encourage the viewer to respond to your post, this could be a like, a retweet, a click to view your website, or even using a ‘call now’ button to give you a call.

It ís also really important not to go over the top. Many businesses often make the mistake of posting on social media several times in a day, and not realising the impact of not having the right content. Do not post on Social Media just for the sake of it! Choose content that is right for your business aims and objectives, and that will remind people of who you are and what you do well.

Having a close relationship with your audience will also help you with content as they will let you know what they like and what they don’t. It is also important to maintain excellent rapport with your audience as it will make them more likely to ask you questions or seek your opinion.

4. TRACK YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

All Social Media platforms give you a wide range of tools in order to monitor the success of your posts. It is really important to use these tools (and other such as Google Analytics) to work out how well you are reaching your audience, and in fact who your audience are. If you fail to look at this information, you might experience a hard time in creating successful Social Media marketing campaigns. If you are paying to promote any Social Media posts then this is even more important ñ itís your money so make sure you are spending it wisely!

Identify what type of posts create the most impact for your business? Do people love the videos that you post but don’t really bother clicking on links to your blog? Use this information to focus your attention on what is working and what isnít. You may not need to give up on certain types of posts, but just try and make them look a little more interesting and inviting.