In 2012 we posted a blog discussing social media which, over a decade ago, all still felt relatively new, and businesses weren’t sure whether or not to ‘participate’. So much has changed since then so we’re revisiting what our top tips were and considering if they hold up now...
Engage and interact
This is definitely still good advice! Community management and engagement is the best way to ensure your social media is serving you - by creating a community on social media platforms, you increase brand awareness and loyalty. Rather than simply posting and broadcasting, you have the chance to encourage meaningful conversation around the products, services and content you produce.
You don’t have to have your own social media department!
The last 10 years have shown us that having a dedicated team or agency managing your social media is a sure-fire way to ensure it gets the time it deserves, and ultimately gives back more than it costs. Managing your own social media internally can make it hard to be consistent as competing demands for time enter the picture - and we know consistency is key!
Use multiple platforms
The rise and (potential) fall of Twitter, and the cataclysmic growth of TikTok, are just two examples of why it’s important to not just go ‘all-in’ on one platform. Diversifying and tweaking content across platforms is also a safeguard for your team - more room to pivot if a platform stops serving you.
Offer incentives
This has now gone beyond your content being the ‘incentive’ and blossomed into the world of influencer marketing, giveaways and more. It’s clear that whenever you want social media coverage - whether though your own employees or wider circles - you need to ensure your offer is solid. Don’t be afraid of ‘giving away’ too much - publishing high value content means people will follow and engage, which is usually worth far more than what you ‘gave away’.
Do not fear conversation
This links back to point one - conversation and interaction on social media is still something we all aspire to as marketers. ‘Transparent criticism’ is still the norm on social media but has evolved towards some antagonistic or ‘trolling’ tendencies. Recognising how, and when, to respond is a fine art and requires robust community management guidelines for those who monitor your social media, including clear guidance on when to escalate comments to more senior teams.
Create demand
Creating demand is now the preserve of pre-seeded campaigns, with influencers and key opinion leaders being more important than ever. Finding the right voices to amplify your campaign remains crucial and is still something that requires careful research and consideration to identify those who are best aligned with your brand: campaigns must be timed right and supported appropriately and the right influencers in the right spaces can give your campaign the reach it needs!
Get the balance right
It’s true that social media should still be fun - but we’d expand what we said last time to say that your strategy should already take this into account. Leave room for ad hoc posts, humorous opportunities and ways to showcase creativity. Your social media strategy should work for the teams who are making it happen - if it feels impossible or inflexible, it’s probably the wrong strategy.
Is it time to re-evaluate what you’re doing on social media? Get in touch with us today to learn how we can support you to create a social media strategy, then move onto an activation that works, giving your organisation the right profile and one which is agile for the fast-moving world of social media.
