Whether an individual, a non-profit, or a business (B2B or B2C) - social media strategies must be well thought out and planned prior to execution
Businesses are jumping on the social media bandwagon to capitalize on the huge marketing power that social media has become. Everyone’s online and more people use the net to go on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter than email, which say a lot for the social media platform.
Businesses jumping on the social media bandwagon often struggle to figure out what it’s all about, how to engage people, how to attract more people to “follow” or “like” you on these social networks. Social networks are a free platform to attract new customers, communicate with existing customers, and have your door wide open online for interaction with your business and brand.
Joshua Leatherman wrote a very informative article on “8 Essential Rules for Social Media and Business” at Social Media Today. Leatherman suggests that businesses often struggle to figure out the social media medium, establish a social media strategy, and fail because they jump into the medium without understanding it.
” It’s free exposure, and often organizations fail to intentionally plan their message as they would for an expensive ad campaign. It’s like trying to run before one has learned to walk,” explains Leatherman. “Social media is permission based engagement – it is the most effective way to engage people and receive measurable results. When someone gives an organization permission to speak to them, the organization’s messaging must be “on” 100% of the time.”
The “8 Rules for Social Media and Business” Leatheman outlines in his report are:
- Social media is relational, not transactional
- Organizations must have a dedicated social media evangelist
- An organization should focus on engagement and not on numbers
- Define your core audience and identify your area of expertise
- Content is king
- Updates should be consistent and frequent
- A social media platform must be manifested
- A profile must be perfect
“How to share social media is becoming a prominent part of our personal and business lives,” suggest Eric Schwartzman in a recent article he also wrote at Social Media Today. “It’s important to know the correct way to share and how to engage other people in the process. Businesses and people alike are asking questions about social media, like why use Google+ when I already have Facebook and Twitter accounts? People are confused by social media but it doesn’t have to be hard to use.”
In his article on how to share social media, Schwartzman outlines some very insightful tips by Chris Brogan for businesses on using Facebook, Twitter and Google+ here. Brogan, who is a best-selling author and a social media junkie.
Social media is a major expansion area for companies to tap into a very active audience who are in touch with these networks all day long using their PCs, mobile phones, Smart TVs, and more. Businesses who learn how to best utilize social media in their overall marketing strategy and correctly communicate through these mediums will be a far step ahead of their competition.
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