One of my favorite quotes is by none other than the late Zig Ziglar. He said: “A goal properly set is halfway reached.” The longer I’m in the field of marketing the more Ziglar’s truth is revealed. Without a series of tangible goals, clear direction and a touch of patience, the vast and changing landscape of social media will be a frustrating and time consuming exercise for most business owners. With the proper intentions, goals and implementation social media can produce the greatest return on investment within the marketing field. So, what are the steps?
1. Real Social Media Strategy:
I say “Real” here because we can spend hours in business strategizing our sales or financial strategy, yet when it comes to social media many business owners will put their company profile in the hands of the least experienced employee or even an intern. Before you even decide who should be helping with your company’s social media there are some questions to answer.
What is the goal of your Facebook page?
- Create a loyal community?
- Customer service?
- Increase brand awareness?
- Increase sales?
Actually, it can consist of all these goals; however, you need to be clear. This will help you determine the tools and tactics you need to use in order to achieve your goals. A key factor to a successful social media strategy is having the right resources available, so make sure you have everything you need to make things happen. Once your larger strategy is in place- put together a daily one. What are your themes? Your regular topics? If you are in the fitness industry- could Monday be your “Motivational Monday” Providing photos and tips to inspire your fans?
2. Content, Content and More Content:
Social Media requires consistency. Why do we constantly check for updates? What is the purpose of a newsfeed? It’s all about the content. That’s why we are there. If you do not post anything, no one will visit your Facebook page. We live in a world where yesterday’s news is outdated. Post content daily. If you can, 2-3 times per day is ideal.
3. Your Content has to be Relevant:
If you own a boutique, make sure you post content related to fashion, style and beauty and not only your latest promotions. When people come to your page, they are looking for interesting and fun information, not to be sold:
- They want to see what your new shipments are
- New items you recommend- perhaps a pick of the week
- Teach them how to wear the clothes- perhaps a before and after daily photo album
- Tell them where to find other great shops in your city-related businesses
- Ask for customers to leave a review
- Post a video of a recent runway fashion show.
In other words, the content must not only be relevant to your business, but most importantly exciting and engaging.
4. Make Visual Posts, Photos, Graphics and Videos:
The Facebook timeline is evidence of the importance of visual. Photos/graphics are shared 84% more than text only content. If you post long text messages chances are none will read them. In fact, Facebook will automatically share your content with less of your fans if it doesn’t include a visual element.
Invest in getting high quality pictures and info graphics. In the world of Facebook, pictures speak louder than words. Make sure your visual content represents your company well.
5. Measure Results:
Facebook does a great job of providing all the tools needed in measuring your success. In the insights section you can track your likes, who is engaging with your page and even the viral and shared success of each post. This is a great tool to help determine what your fans are interested in having you share.
Facebook should be just one part of your social media strategy. Hopefully you have your blog, email, Google + and Facebook all connected and producing the greatest number of leads possible.
So here’s to a successful 2013 with your business Facebook page and much more…
