Author Bio:
Savannah Marie is a writer and public relations consultant for Coastal Life Systems. She writes about the latest online marketing, public relations and social media tactics.
Social media is an important part of online marketing, as just about all of your potential consumers are active on one social media network or another. But maintaining an exciting and engaging social channel is fairly difficult. Many try to just emulate competitors’ blogs, but doing this will not enable you to gain more followers and grow your audience, particularly because you are offering nothing new. The key is to get your page to stand out against those of your competitors. Here are 5 ways how you can do just that and improve your brand’s social media presence:
1. Remember that It’s a Social Network
As such, your page should take on the form of a back-and-forth with your followers. Just posting statuses and allowing them to comment is not enough. Engage your followers. Ways to do this include asking questions or posting surveys that begin discussions. Host caption contests, particularly ones that offer prizes or rewards (everyone likes a good incentive).
2. Be You, Not Your Company
Social media is about people. It’s a place where speech, or writing, tends to be shorthand and casual. Above all, it’s a place where people can connect with one another. Giving your company a profile on a site like Twitter or Facebook is akin to saying that your company is more than just a brand: it’s a group of people, a group that wants to connect with their consumers on a personal level.
Use your channel to do just that. Show a human side to your company that a summary on Wikipedia could never capture. It might be difficult if, for example, your company is a medical distributor that produces surgical software, but it’s worth your while to find a way to do it. People open up much more to other people than to impersonal websites, and being comfortable will encourage them to develop a good relationship, one that may lead to recommending your brand to others.
3. Have a Good Time
Work tends to be a serious thing, and acting professional leaves little room for fun and games. As a result, companies tend to lean towards the serious and, consequently, the boring. But it’s okay to be fun! It’s okay to crack jokes and share witty comments, particularly in an environment that is so keen on being casual, friendly and social. Your consumers will sooner follow a company that entertains them than one that is strictly business.
Sometimes, this may mean taking a break from talking about your products and brand to share a funny video about lolcats. Most people really only use social media to get a few good laughs from the different pages they follow. An entertaining yet pertinent video could be just the thing. In some ways, this could be the best way to improve your social media presence.
4. Be Compassionate
One major aspect of showing a human side is empathizing with people’s suffering. When there is a tragedy in the world, such as hurricane Sandy, show your support. For instance, you can raise money for a related relief organization. When customers see you care about people, they begin to realize that you care about them as well. A happy customer makes a loyal customer, and through such people, word tends to spread.
5. Spice Things Up
Don’t stick to what you already know. Expand! Staying the same means inevitably becoming less interesting. People like their social media to stay fresh and new and exciting. So step outside your comfort zone, think out of the box and change things up from time to time. This could mean running different campaigns, perhaps in conjunction with a season, holiday or event. More simply, just keep your content varied, moving from posts to videos, to pictures, to contests and back again.
