Social media has become the next best thing. Millions of people are using the many different platforms for purposes of entertainment, business, and getting real-time information. In the same respect, it also has its cons which for many is its addictive nature. Nevertheless, for businesses, when used in the right way it’s a gold mine because of the many ways it can help an organisation meet their objectives. There is so much room for creativity and the chance to meet your audience where they are. In case you’ve been wondering how you can use social media to improve your business, rest assured that there are several approaches you can take.
- Set a Goal
Before you can improve your business by using social media, you’ve got to first set a goal. If not, you’ll find that you’re spending a significant amount of time using the platform and not achieving much. Setting goals for social media typically means setting clearly defined and measurable goals. Firstly, decide what you want to get out of social media. It could be to drive traffic to your website, create awareness about a new product, or amend brand perception regarding your brand.
Some of the more common social media marketing goals that people tend to set are generating more sales or leads, communicating with customers or running an awareness campaign. When setting goals, it’s essential that you make them SMART. In case you aren’t sure what this means, you’ll have a breakdown of it below.
Specific – When it comes to setting goals, they should be as detailed as possible. As mentioned earlier, by doing so it makes your goals a lot easier to achieve. Take time and think about what your ultimate goals are and make sure they’re realistic.
Measurable – At times, people have argued against the effectiveness of social media because of their inability to see how it impacts the overall grand scheme of their business and brings a return on investment. For this reason, picking measurable and tangible goals is essential. An example of a measurable goal is being able to double your followers within six months.
Attainable – This is where seeing whether your goals are realistic comes in. Think about whether it’s possible to double your followers in six months considering the work you’d have to put in and your budget if you’re using paid media or outsourcing.
Relevant – Setting goals are one thing but making sure they’re relevant are another. You’ve got to think about whether they align with your goals and business objectives.
Time Specific – Deadlines often help you work a lot more efficiently, so using them is important. Set a deadline for each goal and work towards making it happen.
- Build a Community
When trying to improve your business, your customers should always be the focus. The good thing about social media is it enables you to focus on them by building a community and fulfilling their needs. When using platforms like Instagram, building a following could have a positive impact on your business in the long-term. Instagram marketing can be a great investment for businesses, so be sure to make use of this tool. In light of this, devise a strategy. Also, remember that community isn’t only about the number of followers you have as their engagement with your brand matters too. You want people who fall in love with your brand, who are loyal, and ready to spread the good news.
- Come up With a Strategy
Social media strategies are needed to give you direction. However, coming up with an effective one takes time. Questions you can use to help define your strategy include whether you want to improve your SEO and what you hope to convey about your business via social media. There are templates you can use to develop these strategies in case you need a little assistance along the way. A few key elements are creating customer personas, developing a social media mission statement, and creating and curating interesting content.
- Give Your Brand a Personality
Nobody is likely going to want to interact with a brand that’s stiff and lifeless. You’ve got to create content that has personality and effectively reflects who your brand is. This means defining your tone and making sure it permeates throughout everything you post. If you’re a playful brand, for instance, sharing content that makes people laugh and plays on everyday incidents that your target audience encounters may be a good approach. Put yourself in the shoes of customers that use your products or services every day and go through their thought process when creating content.
- Make Your Business an Authority
When you begin to learn to use social media in the right way, you’ll realise that you begin to win over the hearts of your audience. At this point, they tend to respect your opinion and feel you add something valuable to their lives. Brands usually get to that point when they’re able to make themselves an authority in their industry. This means being a go-to for certain subject matters or information as you’ve proven to be a reliable and credible source. It’s possible to do this on social media when you share content that enhances lives.
- See What Your Audience is Interested in
Social media can teach you so much about your audience and this information can be used to improve your business. This can be done by social listening and paying attention to what is being said about your brand online as well as about your competitors as well. In addition to this, you can learn where they like to be, how they spend their time and money and what their interests are.
- Use it for Customer Service
Meeting your customer’s needs is a crucial aspect of improving your business and social media provides a platform for you to do so. So many businesses are now using it to answer customers inquiries and resolve any issues, so consider doing so for your brand too. Accessibility is important, and customers want to know they can reach you on different platforms easily.
Social media is an inexpensive way to improve your business and a chance to make your brand relatable. In light of this, when you use some of the tips listed in this article, it’s possible that you’d be able to achieve many of your business objectives faster.
