Social Media Marketing is the act of using social media (ie Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) to promote a business.
Many businesses will want to start their own social media marketing campaign and create a Facebook page or Twitter account. The problem is, they don’t have a clue how to run a successful social media marketing campaign. Here, I have listed 10 of the most basic rules when it comes to social media marketing. Follow these rules to have successful accounts on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
the 10 [basic] Social media marketing rules
1. Update! You shouldn’t even have to list this as a rule, but many forget how important it is. You should try to update it daily, because when consumers visit your page and it hasn’t been updated in over a month, they’ll assume it’s down and decide not to continue your business. Also, they could easily go with your competitor because your page is so active that they feel the company will serve them better. You don’t want that to happen, so update your social media accounts regularly!
2. No pitching! You are not Billy Mays. So you don’t need to yell at consumers telling them to buy your product or use your business. Social media is meant to connect, not launch. If your consumers feel like they have a connection to your business through your Facebook or Twitter page, they are more likely to use you over another business that doesn’t make a serious effort to connect.
3. Communicate with your audience. If you don’t think it’s necessary to respond to comments, answer questions, or participate in conversations on your page, then social media is not for you. You need to be part of the conversations on your page. If not, you will lose touch with your customers and what they want.
4. Choose wisely. What you say will remain forever in a public record on the Internet. Choose wisely what you post on your Page. I can’t stress that enough. If you hire a company to post for you, make sure you hire someone you can trust. And remember, if you manage your social media yourself, only post what you’d like to see on the front page of the New York Times (or the Huffington Post).
5. Handle angry customers with class. Some customers are just having a bad day and want to take it out on your page and blame you for everything. Please do not delete any negative comments. Instead, ignore it if it’s just a comment (unless the comment contains obscene language and is completely inappropriate). If you find yourself in a situation like Nestle was about a year ago, where everyone protested on their Facebook page, post an update saying your company is taking steps to fix the problem. Never answer directly to an individual, you will never win. Also, never make promises you can’t keep.
6. Link to others. If you find something interesting (and relevant) on the web, link to it on your Facebook or Twitter. Explain why you find it interesting (and relevant) and ask for their opinion. Link to other companies, articles, cool websites, whatever. Just make sure to ask yourself before posting, Is this relevant to my business?
7. Share! Don’t be afraid to show your consumers what your company’s employees are doing when they’re not in the office. Take photos of your office picnic, philanthropic event, or even a run/walk for a good cause. These photos create a positive image of your company for your consumers. They want to know that you are human and that you don’t wear a tie all the time. If it’s a casual Friday at the office, take a group photo of everyone wearing the company polo shirt and post it immediately so others know what’s going on in your office in real time.
8. Start a weekly trend. If you do something once a week, on the same day each week, your followers will most likely come back on that day each week. For example, if you have a shoe store, every Monday you can post the shoe of the week. Include an image and a promotion for the shoe, such as a percentage off for that week only. If you posted every Monday, consumers are forced to check every Monday to see what pair is featured that week and come into your store to buy. It’s a great way to drive customers to your social media pages as well as your store.
9. Link to your blog. You put a lot of effort into writing that awesome post on trendy heels for spring, but no one reads your blog. Link on your Facebook, Twitter, etc. Don’t do it all the time, because if that’s all you do to update your social media, people will get bored of you quickly. But at the same time, don’t be afraid to link to your blog. You put a lot of hard work and effort into it, and you want people to read it!
10. Spread the word! If you have Facebook, Twitter, blog, YouTube channel, etc. you really need to tell people. They’re not just going to assume you have them. Put them on your company website, on your business cards, put a sign in your store that says “Add us!” with all the little logos of each site next to the copy. Don’t be afraid to tell your customers you’re on Facebook. If they like you and your product, they’ll share it on their Facebook and say, “Hey, I’m a fan of Sally’s Shoes and I want everyone to know it!”
