Social Media like Facebook, twitter, Linkedln, Google Plus and Foursquare are a great way of attracting attention to your business and create awareness about your business and the products you offer to a greater number of people.
Millions of people worldwide use Social Media on a daily basis and you can use this to the advantage of your business.
To capture the interest of these people and attract attention to your business through Social Media however requires some skill and the following are tips on how to use Social Media for your business.
1. Decide on the goals and objectives that you hope to achieve using Social Media
Be clear on what you want to do with the Social Media, do you want to link up with other professionals in your field and share ideas with them’? Do you want to create your image as an expert in your field’? Or do you want to generate an online buzz about your products’? Once you have decided on the particular goals and objectives you wish to achieve then you can plan your course of action and effectively monitor your progress.
2. Learn as much as possible about the Social Media that you plan to use
It is important that you understand how the Social Media you plan to use works, who are its main members in terms of age, profession, likes and dislikes. Find out what creates a buzz and what provokes comments and discussions. The easiest way to do this is by signing up and observing how people who have been using it for a long time go about it. This will help you find the best way to make the particular Social Media work for you.
3. Decide on your approach
The kind of approach you adopt can help your business or make things worse. You can choose to provide information regarding the industry, or you could choose to give professional advice on a number of issues related to your business. People are tired of the same old approaches so as much as possible try to come up with new and unique approaches that will generate interest. Once you decide upon your approach it is easier to achieve the desired results.
4. Ensure that your Social Media profile is complete and constantly updated whenever necessary
The profile may include websites, bio, blogs, location and a headshot and you should ensure that these details are always complete and that any changes and developments are immediately updated. When you decide to use multiple Social Media sites you should ensure that your profile remains consistent as this helps you reach a wider audience and maintain communication with contacts from different sites.
5. Constantly dedicate some time for the Social Media
If you hope to use Social Media to the advantage of your business then you need to set aside some time at regular intervals to update your account, post fresh information and respond to comments and questions raised by visitors to your site. Social Media dashboards such as Hot Suite and Social Oomph can assist you to manage your Social Media time with more effectiveness by allowing you to skim activity quickly, set up alerts and notifications and schedule updates and automate some of the process.
Written by Julieth, @Mezee Chat room.
