Social media offers businesses a wide range of benefits, including helping to improve their SEO and setting you and your team up as experts in your market.

With so many platforms out there, it can be hard for businesses, particularly small organisations, to find the best solutions for them and create a strategy that will boost their profile.

To help you to optimise your business’s social media strategy and make the most out of this growing space, here are some of my top tips.

Choose The Right Platforms

There are a wide variety of different social media platforms out there, each with their own unique functions and features. Some are more important to businesses than others, and there are certain platforms that will be better for some specific industries. For example, Instagram is a visual social media platform that relies on photographs, meaning it is ideally suited for creative businesses with products or designs to promote. Meanwhile, a professional site like LinkedIn will be better suited to a business that wants to connect with customers and be seen as a thought-leader.

Learn About The Functions Each Platform Offers

Once you’ve decided what platforms you want to work on, you need to learn about the features and functions they have so that you can use the platform to your complete advantage. If you have an in-house team that’s responsible for your social media marketing, then have them immerse themselves in all the platforms you intend to use. If you have an outsourced team then they will already have the expertise to drive your social media strategy forward.

Make Goals

Any strategy will be impossible without targets and methodology, so work out what you want to achieve from each social media site and set goals that will help to enhance your business’s online profile. This will give your social media team something to work towards and help your other business stakeholders to see the value of your social media marketing programme.

Don’t Just Advertise

Advertising on social media is important, but if your account is simply full of adverts then other users won’t be inclined to follow you. As well as adverts and posts about your firm’s products and services, include topical posts about the latest news and developments in your sector. Share information that could help your clients, like updates on legislation that will affect them, so that they see a value in following your social media accounts.

Consider Boosting Your Posts

Be they adverts or just insightful posts, consider working with your chosen social media platform’s business department to boost your posts and make them more noticeable to your followers. This will allow you to further enhance your social media presence and drive viewers to view and engage with your content.

Integrate Social Media Marketing Into Your Digital PR Strategy

Digital PR is the process of creating quality content to drive users to your website and boost your social media presence. It’s different to traditional PR, but is starting to creep into this sector thanks to its growing relevancy and importance. If you’re using this approach, then use social media to boost your content and drive more viewers to your site.

Make Meaningful Contact

Success in social media marketing isn’t just about the number of website views and sales leads you generate; it’s also about the engagement you have with members of each social media platform. By engaging with users, you will show that your business is run by real people and give them an insight into the level of support you give to customers. Ensure that all staff who have access to your firm’s social media accounts have the necessary skills and manners to deal with each enquiry or response in a way that shows your business in the best possible light.

Track Your Progress

Measure the impact of your social media strategy by using digital tools to track your progress and see which parts of your approach are working well and which ones need improvement. These tools will allow you to review each aspect of your approach and make necessary changes to optimise your strategy, ensuring that you keep improving and flourishing over time.

Keep Up To Date With Social Media Developments

Each social media platform brings in new rules and updates on a regular basis, so follow their press rooms to keep up to date with the latest developments. You should also review the new social media platforms coming onto the market and explore the ones that may be worth your time. Some may just be fads, but others may become important later, so keep yourself informed to ensure your business is always ahead of the latest changes in the world of social media.

Overall, as this article shows, the social media market is a fast-paced space that is subject to a wide range of trends. Make sure that you dedicate time to staying ahead of new developments and integrating new ideas and practices into your social media strategy so that it’s always fresh and continuously meets the needs of your clients and potential customers.

© 2020 All Rights Reserved Ella Woodward

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