Social Media: Two words so often used together that they barely still enjoy existence as individual words.
And these words have come to define such a broad category. The first time I really became aware of the term ‘social media’ was during the early days of Facebook. There were certainly sites that we now know as forerunners of social media; SixDegrees.com is widely known as the first, and I remember MySpace and Friends Reunited before Facebook, but Facebook is when social media as a phenomenon took off.
What started to gain momentum as merely a trivial waste of one’s time has collectively become a cultural behemoth similar in scale to Television and Radio, but in many ways more powerful, enriching, and dangerous by virtue of its universal accessibility and ubiquity.
But what has social media come to mean to you as a business owner or decision maker? How has it informed your marketing decisions? How should it influence them in future?
As you might expect, the answers to those questions will be different depending on your own circumstances and experiences. However, in my opinion there are some generalities to be respected in this area.
1. If your business relies on any contact with human beings, then you should maintain a presence on social media
Now I accept there will be some exceptions to this rule…ones where security and privacy are paramount, others where criminality are involved! But in general terms, if you have a business, you should have social media accounts.
2. Use the right platforms for your business
Depending on what product or service you provide, there will be platforms better suited to you, and those less suited. But the thought processes should be more robust and thorough than just setting up a Facebook page and moving on.
3. Prioritise mediums
Similar to the previous point, but not the same. Work out which mediums are best suited to convey the message of your brand.
4. Research where your ideal customers are
This might seem obvious at first, but I believe it’s an area not nearly considered enough by smaller businesses in particular.
5. Understand what solutions your social media channels can provide to your customers, existing and future
This is key. Don’t just broadcast to people. Figure out how you can provide value to them for free.
6. Define your objectives
Decide what you hope to achieve with social media. Is it just customer engagement or customer service? Is it lead generation and growth? Define it and measure it.
7. Afford it consistency
Social media strategies obviously perform better when they are given a chance to succeed. Consistency is probably the thing which impacts success more than anything else, and businesses of any size have the capabilities to afford consistency.
In almost all cases, social media is a blessing for business. It’s a way, at least in principle but usually in practice too, that all businesses, irrespective of budget, can find and engage an audience of potential customers. You just have to figure out how best to do that.
If you’d like us to further elaborate on any of the points above, or if you’d like to have a chat about how we might be able to help you and your business, then please drop us a line or give us a call. We’d be delighted to hear from you. Alternatively, please browse our services page.
