Why is it that so many businesses lack what it takes to be successful with social media? I think we can all agree that social media marketing is extremely important. Yet so many businesses are coming up short of being successful and using social media effectively. I believe, one of the key factors which is causing most businesses to FAIL with social media can be found in one simple root issue. This issue I believe is that businesses are failing to elect a person or persons to be the leader of their tribe and not using their social media platforms on a personal level.
People won't interact with a logo, auto responder or personality-less social media page. This isn't rocket science and may seem pretty simple but there are a large number of businesses out there getting this wrong. If your business fails to be real, act real, and look real then you are going to fail with social media before you even start. Below I've listed a few steps you can take to help make sure your on the right track with your social media.
- Who's the person behind the curtain? Who is the chief of your social tribe? This can be the business owner, the CFO, a key employee, or a team of people. The important thing is that the people following your tribe know who this is. Without this, your business will never develop true relationships and trust with your fans.
- What's your Twitter handle? @business123 will no longer cut it and isn't very personal. Your business name and other important information should be in your bio but your name should be in your handle. Also, don't forget to have a picture of you and not your logo for your profile pic. People want to talk to people not @business123 and @business123's logo.
- Get your Facebook fan page right too! This type of transparent personalization needs to be found on your Facebook fan page as well. I understand your Facebook fan page will be your businesses name but why not customize a profile pic and have both your logo and a key representative or community leader in it? Also, if there is more then one person managing the fan page maybe signing off after each post with your name to let people know who is actually engaging, sharing, or responding. You can also adjust your settings to display the page owners for all to see. Lastly, don't be afraid to add more customization to your page such as a welcome landing page, about you page...etc. There are a number of tools available to help you accomplish this.These are all small elements but they add up to make a major difference towards creating a brand & tribe that people trust and want to engage with.
Do you find this to be a common issue among businesses in social media? What are some businesses that have branded themselves effectively by being personable and transparent?