Is social media for marketing new? Is it rocket science? The answer to both of those questions is a big fat NO! So why are so many businesses still representing themselves on social media in a way that reeks of mediocrity? Take some time to consider these points about your use of social media and test your odour-rating.
Are your social media profiles good looking?
- Are your avatars cut to the correct size and looking sharp? No cheesy, soft-focus, American real-estate type efforts please!
- Same goes for your cover images etc - are you making the most of the space? Don't use them as a big ad - make them pretty!
- Are your bios, 'about' sections filled out with key info and links? Set expectations on customer service times etc here. Again, don't overdo it!
- Resource - a great post with constantly updates avatar etc sizes
How's your communication?
- Are you responding to queries/issues etc promptly? Don't leave people hanging! 42% of people complaining via social media expect a response within 60 minutes (source - convinceandcovert.com)! This is hard to achieve for many businesses, but aim to get back to people within a maximum of 8 hours and much less if possible!
- Do you only speak when spoken to? On platforms that allow it (Twitter, G+, Instagram to name a few), you should be looking for people to actively converse with and not just those mentioning your business. Be careful though, don't overdo it and never sell first!
- Answer everything - don't only answer queries that you deem 'important'. Respond to everyone that directly engages.
Are you boring everyone to tears?
- Do not repeat the same message over and over. Do not repeat the same message over and over. Do not repeat the same message over and over.
- Is the content you publish on your social platforms fully targeted at your key audiences?
- Do you have a regular posting pattern, one that is fine tuned to when your audience is paying attention? More on this on the Buffer Blog. Have a plan!
- Are you using data to establish what your audience really wants?
- You should be using as much imagery as possible, again optimised for each platform. Try some nice text overlays too. Social updates with images get 42% more views (source - Buffer Blog)
- Do link to your own content, but ensure that isn't all you do! Try some curation (taking relevant content from other sources), but make sure you quality check it and try to avoid using what everyone else does. Tools like Buzz Sumo can help you find great content.
Are you measuring everything?
- Do you take the time to dig deep into the data surrounding your social media use? This is the only way of gauging success and the effect on your audience.
- What about your website? Do you know what effect your social media work is having in terms of traffic, actions, enquires, sales etc? You should be using Google Analytics link tracking, info here.
- Are you taking that data and acting on it? Or just staring at the pretty charts?
Hope that helps! Think of it as digital antiperspirant. Go forth and smell great. Any questions? Ask them in the comments section below.