Social media has taken over the world. If you don’t believe us, try spending an entire day without checking Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You could probably do it, but breaking the habit won’t be easy.
Businesses especially have rapidly realized that social media is essential to thrive. Customer service has become more than just a phone call or email. It now comes in the form of a Facebook message, Twitter reply or Instagram comment. Facebook pages have replaced websites for the most up-to-date information on a product or company. The bottom line is that you can’t be a successful business without a healthy social media presence.
As social media continues to take over, it’s important that you understand the art of making it work in your favor. Whether you’re an individual or representing a business, branding yourself and how you portray yourself on social media is becoming more important every day.
While there’s no magic way to gain 1,000 followers in a day or get 10,000 shares, there are still ways to master the art of social media. Here are 7 of them.
It’s OK to say no
We’re only going to say this once, so listen up: you don’t need to be on every social media platform. There is no rule that says you must be on every platform and following the latest trends. As a matter of fact, if the platform doesn’t fit your brand and audience, you may be doing yourself or your business more harm than good. Now, it certainly is beneficial to go and snatch up those user names right away. (Who knows who could steal your name?) Before jumping into a new platform, however, take the time to make sure that it is right for your brand. Is your audience on that platform? Do you have the right type of content to effectively communicate on that platform? Focus on quality over quantity.
Be proactive
Have you ever had a brand reach out to you without you tagging them? Think about how it made you feel, probably like a special snowflake. There’s more to social media than sharing content and replying to mentions. Search for keywords that match your message, products, brand, and conversation topics. Seek a greater understanding of what your audience is saying about you even when they choose not to tag you. Don’t wait for social media, content, and conversations to come to you. Go get ‘em yourself.
Provide the content YOU would want to see
No one likes to be bored, hence the rise of social media; to fill every second of every day with some form of stimulation. When curating or creating content to share, make sure it is interesting and matches your brand. Would your audience enjoy it? Would you or those you represent want to read it? If not, then why are you sharing it? If you wouldn’t like that type of content, how can you expect your audience to be into it?
Make social media social
Social media creates the opportunity for engagement, conversations, and relationships that individuals or brands might not otherwise be able to create. Listen to your audience, strike up a conversation, build relationships! Don’t just talk at your followers, connect with them.
Scheduling is your friend
In case you haven’t learned the hard way, social media doesn’t sleep, which means managing it can turn into a 24/7 job. Scheduling out social media posts can help open up time during your day to focus on other projects and give you a breather from stalking social media constantly. We like Hootsuite, but there are plenty to choose from.
Get creative
Images and videos are an essential part of content on social media. If you’re anything like us, Adobe Creative Suites is overwhelming and terrifying. Thankfully, there’s an abundance of apps to help create motivational images, videos, memes, and vibrant content for any type of brand. Don’t be afraid to see what works for you and try to share visual content on your social media platforms. An 834 personal favorite is Canva because it’s so simple. A non-creative mind can manage to turn out something aesthetically pleasing without revealing you’re a terrible designer.
Embrace your brand
Not all brands are created equal, which is one of the best parts of social media. Embrace your audience and connect with them on what you have in common. Harness your brand voice and don’t be afraid to be quirky, use jargon, and speak with a sense of purpose on their mission and organizational beliefs. This is a great opportunity to let out the nerd in you.
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