Social media is both a beast and a blessing. While it is an incredible way to utilize free marketing for your company, it also takes a lot of understanding to get it right. After several social media consultations, I noticed so many different people asking the same question: “Do I really need to be on all of the different platforms?” The short answer is yes. Different platforms have different audiences and ,therefore, a different kind of exposure than you might be getting from another. Keep your hand in all of them so that you are first on the customer’s mind, always. Below is a guide I want you to keep in your back pocket as you start creating these accounts and establishing your brand!
Do:
- Connect your Instagram and Facebook profiles, and use Facebook Business Suite to manage them both and to schedule your content.
- Interact one on one with customers in real-time — the new wave of customer service.
- Stay active on this platform and ask loyal customers to leave reviews. These go a long way.
Don’t:
- Don’t neglect your page after a few months.
- Potential customers may check your social media platforms before even going into the store. Make sure to keep it updated so they know your business is still up and running.
- Keep your address and store hours current, for customers who may search you.
- If you recently changed your hours, make sure to update them on your Facebook page immediately! These may be the first to pop on a Google search and you would hate to lead your customers astray.
Do:
- Set up your Instagram profile as a “Business” and utilize the free customer data analysis to figure out what the best time to post is for you.
- Create a posting cadence to help you stay on track. For example:
- Monday: Fine Jewelry
- Wednesday: Customer Photos or Engagement Ring for #WeddedWednesday
- Friday: Personalized/Custom Pieces
- Utilize Instagram Stories to help boost your engagement rate.
- Higher Engagement Rate = More people viewing your posts!
Don’t:
- Post too many graphics to your feed. I suggest one per week if you are posting 3+ times a week.
- Forget to use hashtags! These will help expose your content to people who aren’t already following you.
Do:
- Post job openings, but also share more about your company’s culture. This will look great to potential employees!
- Share photos of your work and the process it took you to get there.
- Utilize this platform as a way to reach a different audience.
Don’t:
- Forget to repost and share industry-related content and interact with other companies.
- Post the same content as you would on other platforms, remember that this is a more professional site.
Stay tuned for Part Two where I’ll share a rundown of the remaining platforms plus my day-to-day recommendations for managing a social brand!
Check out these other useful blogs that can help you in establishing your brand on social media.
