The Dos and DON’Ts of Social Media Marketing
Posting on social media can feel like walking a tightrope. Many marketers don’t post as often as they should because they’re afraid their words will be misconstrued, or they fret about unintentionally offending followers.
While these platforms have the potential to make or break a business, marketers must depend on them for advertising purposes and to stay top-of-mind. However, social media doesn’t have to be frightening or intimidating. If business owners can remain professional and abide by an ethical framework, their marketing efforts will be rewarded with new subscribers and a growing base of loyal customers.
The following strategies will ease the stress associated with social media marketing and give you the confidence to engage with your audience more often.
DO share content you find interesting. If your social media content is all about your business, you risk boring your audience. Therefore, it’s good practice to post about subjects that you find fascinating. It’s a safe bet that your followers will find the topics interesting, too. Plus, there’s a good chance they’ll share your content with their friends and family, which is the equivalent of word-of-mouth advertising!
DON’T forget to accompany text with photos. Magazines have always published articles with pictures, and for good reason. It’s a tried-and-true method of grabbing a reader’s attention. After all, no matter how engrossing a story is, most people won’t bother to read it unless it’s accompanied by a colorful image. It’s the hook that draws the reader in. Therefore, always accompany your social media posts with eye catching photos.
DO tread carefully when covering mainstream news. Posting about current events is a double-edged sword. While it’s certainly a way to spark audience engagement, many people have strong opinions about these topics. If you touch upon controversial news, possible results range from heated arguments in the comment section to followers unsubscribing from your feed. When posting about news, you can be informative without sacrificing your professionalism by steering clear of provocative stories such as those overshadowed by politics.
DON’T use social media as a soapbox. Airing your frustrations on social media is the best way to lose followers and make yourself look as unprofessional as possible. If you’re having a bad day, sometimes it’s best not to say anything at all. Simply posting a picture is all you need to do to nudge your followers, gain likes, and lift your spirits!
DO respond to as many questions and comments as humanly possible. Acknowledging the concerns of your audience is the ultimate way of showing that you truly care about them. Before long, you will notice that your customer base is filling up with people who are devoted to your business because they trust you and appreciate your dedication.
DON’T fall for baiters. Trolls are everywhere on the internet and there’s a good chance you’ll encounter some on your social media platforms. The difference between a troll and a disgruntled customer is the desire for a resolution. A troll will never be satisfied with any solution you offer. If you find yourself being trolled, you can choose to ignore them, but the best way to deal with them is to respond with facts or defuse the situation with humor. If the troll continues their irritating behavior, inform them that you are going to block them, then follow through on your promise. To gain more insight on internet trolls and how to handle them in a professional manner, check out this informative website.
DO address negative comments. Unfortunately, it’s human nature for people to complain before they compliment. As a business owner, you should expect this and handle negative comments by replying to them quickly and in a tactful manner. The last thing you should do is delete the comment even though it’s tempting to do so. Understand that you can’t please 100% of customers 100% of the time.
DON’T ignore negative reviews. If you see that your business has a bad Yelp review, don’t panic. First, verify that the poster is indeed one of your customers. If they are not, reach out to Yelp and let them handle it. If the unhappy commenter is in fact one of your customers, respond to their review on the Yelp platform, so everyone will see that you are being proactive by offering an apology as well as a solution. By handling the situation this way, you are not only converting a dissatisfied customer into a loyal one, but you are gaining respect and improving your business’ reputation.
DO stay positive and have fun!
Time to Enjoy Social Media Marketing and All It Can DO for Your Business
Marketers have a love-hate relationship with social media, but it doesn’t have to be this way. When business owners follow a commonsense approach, they create an image of positive professionalism on every platform they post on, and customers see a business run by an innovative problem-solver who knows how to communicate effectively. Follow simple standards of etiquette and you’ll feel your stress about social media marketing slip away. It won’t be long before your content is liked and shared, and your business gains the exposure it deserves.
If you need help with social media marketing, Higgins Marketing Group can help. Contact us for a pressure-free chat about how relieving the stress associated with social media will take your marketing communications to the next level. Not sure yet? Check out our work and let us know when you’re ready.