What does all this mean?
I think it’s obvious by now that businesses have to take social media seriously. I’m not going to post a fluff post that makes everyone’s mouth dry from yet another fruitless post. That’s silly.
By the time your done reading this post your going to have a good idea how most businesses should be using social media to their advantage.
First of all, why does it exist?
I’ll tell you exactly why. We were created for relationships from day one. This is just yet another way us humans interact with one another sharing what we know, what we do and what others do around us.
While I can’t possibly cover all social media channels, let me tell you how it works.
People join networks and then instantly find their friends on the same network.
Once they’ve done that… They begin sharing their own photos, videos, life updates and favorite web addresses. They also read and interact and comment on other people’s media and posts.
This all serves to help people share with one another. Build friendships and interact and basically take chatting online to the next level. It’s great because they can login and get the update whenever. This is how MOST social networks function.
Why most businesses fail on Twitter and Facebook
Back when Newspapers were invented and the printing press became a small town dream… The editor controlled what went into print and what stayed in the trash talk around town. If advertisers chose what went on the front page, there’d be no content, no news and all blatant advertising…
That seems to be what’s happening when most companies ‘try’ social media and fail entirely. They measure their success by ROI. Return on investment, sales, leads, close rates, money, cash… following? WRONG!
By creating a facebook group and posting nothing but sales pitches and contests and stuff about their brand their products and other stuff, they instantly alienate their audiences who do not wish to hear about that 24/7.
How to succeed on Twitter & Facebook
The right way to target users in these communities (much like any other community in the physical world) is to build friendships and partnerships. To forge relationships and build up your fan base by having people become a fan of the company and in a long term way a fan of their products too.
What to post:
- Interesting facts
- News bytes of new stuff coming out
- Tips, tricks and studies
- Benchmarks, insider info
- Ice Breaker questions
On Twitter, the strategy is a little different… You’ll want to find out who in your industry or related industries has already built up a following and start engaging them with the @reply feature and interacting with them. By them interacting BACK with you, their messages to YOU will show up in their feeds to their thousands of followers. That gives you exposure for nothing.
On Twitter you can also @reply general public lamenting about their problems with related products, their questions and needs.
Professional social media management is the long term answer. Most businesses don’t have a CEO who also handles accounting, or mechanical work on the fleet, or network administration on their computers, or press releases and media contact. It would be too much. Heck, most mechanics don’t do their own marketing. Businesses who aren’t involved in the media shouldn’t do their own Social media management for that reason.
A hair stylist or a plumber may not have a passion for social media and online marketing, and thus will gain dramatically by hiring the service out.
Consider us for that service. We’re very reasonable, extremely ethical and love results.
EMAIL: dano@answerswanted.com
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