Social media can be brilliant for business. It can drive people to visit your website, it can help you to find others to collaborate with it and it can help you sell more products
With the seemingly unstoppable growth, Facebook, Twitter and recently Google+ are becoming must have for every business. Buyers often share advice on purchasing decisions and consider word-of-mouth to be amongst the most trustable. Increased use of social networking sites has helped to amplify consumer conversations, making them a big part of the World Wide Web.
Here are 3 simple tips:
1. Engagement – Start the Conversation
Make sure you’re part of the conversation about your business. Once you’re on Facebook, you’ll want to attract fans or “likes” (placing Facebook ads is very relevant). On Twitter, you are looking for followers. Social media is not about broadcasting. It’s more about listening, adding value and engaging with those that you are following, and people that are following you. Ask questions and deliver answers in your area of expertise.
2. Engagement – Be Part of the Conversation
This means that every time someone comments on your new status, a photo, a video, a discussion thread, or anything else, you need to comment back. Gone are the days of a one-way ‘communication’ where businesses simply broadcast to their customers. A conversational revolution is happening and you need to be part of it.
3. Engagement – Don’t Stop the Conversation
Social media takes commitment. Doing a little bit often is better way of getting results rather than showing up on an intermittent basis. If you only show up some time, what does that say to your followers? It takes time, consistency and commitment to generate results.
Avoid boring updates about what how good your business is or posting overmuch, which may seem to spam to your fans. Try to find a good balance between promoting offers/products and relevant information that your followers will genuinely find useful. Think about what news stories/ trending topics in your industry and post them up. Check in with your fans and followers by asking for feedback.