You probably know this already – social media is fundamental for attaining success in the online environment. Considering that we live in the 21st century and 73% of adult people have at the very least one type of social media account, it’s safe to say that businesses now understand the power of these channels. However, just because you have accounts on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your new startup or business will thrive. There’s more to social media than shares and likes.
If you don’t know how to generate conversions and compel visitors to subscribe, then you’ve failed. A social media strategy is fundamental when trying to market a business. Still, many people can’t fully grasp the power of digital PR.
Focusing on values that don’t match
If you’re serious about building a business, then you probably made a list with several detailed core values you’d like to cover. If you haven’t done that already, you should right away; otherwise you won’t be able to explain your company’s purpose to potential clients or customers. Start by settling on a mission and put down some goals, deadlines, set up a social media plan and have a brand image. Everything you’re trying to do online has to be directly linked to the purpose and value of your startup. This will guide your content and it will help you decide on some clear social media objectives.
Many new entrepreneurs can’t understand the power of a targeted audience. That’s why they believe that social media is not good PR. It is but it must be used right for your online website to have value and thus make people curious to know more about your land-based business. For example, if you choose to open up a restaurant that only serves organic produce, you should focus on explaining why you opened the place. You probably don’t do it because it’s trendy, but because many people today don’t know what healthy food is.
Inconsistency
There’s really no point in creating something amazing if nobody will want to check it out. If you’re doing a social media campaign for your business, you have to do it smart. It must be a consistent campaign otherwise, you won’t manage to hook the audience. The key starting point is to share valuable content consistently.
Use special tools to help you out, such as hashtags.org or SocialBro. They have valuable information that you can use to entice your audience like trending topics. Also, you might want to know when to utilize social media. For instance, consider sending daily tweets – about 14/day every hour or so should be enough. Another great idea might be to use scheduling tools such as Buffer, SproutSocial and HootSuite. Stay as organized as possible by using an editorial calendar, and stay away from low-quality content.
Misunderstanding social media
Many businesses today wrongfully believe that all social media channels are the same. The truth is, they’re not. Let’s have a closer look at Facebook first. The platform is great because millions are using it daily to socialize, interact and read useful information. But then again, the model may not match with your business goals.
Strategists agree that social media is an extremely powerful PR tool, but many people don’t know how to use it and that’s why they consider it ineffective. The problem is many don’t know how to use it and that’s why they think it doesn’t work. Newbie entrepreneurs must understand that a targeted audience is key. They need to center their attention on crafting a strategy first, as then chase after their goals.
By spending a decent amount of time crafting a meaningful message, targeting the right people, and then deciding on an appropriate social media channel, you save time and energy. Eventually, your approach will render the best results, but you must also be patient.
Last but not least, we have to emphasize that many people want their social media channels to gather visitors fast. That won’t happen if you want quality. Focus on the content, share it at the right time and do it consistently. People will become curious to know what you have to offer, but you must also be willing to interact with them. Responding to messages is key, as well as accepting feedback – even if it’s bad.
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