Social media can be one of the best ways for a business to reach and engage its customers. When used strategically, it can help increase sales, build brand awareness, and promote customer loyalty. That said, there is a delicate balance between using social media for promotion and providing a positive user experience.
To ensure your business sees success with its digital marketing efforts, here are the dos and don’ts of social media engagement.
Dos
1. Do Research
Research your target audience to understand the best platforms to focus on, the type of content they engage with, when they’re most active, and what they use those platforms for. Moreover, be on the lookout for help – whether you chance upon a how to grow engagement podcast or site, be open to tips from the pros.
2. Do Use Relevant Hashtags
Using appropriate and relevant hashtags in your posts can help you draw in interested users around the world, no matter their location.
3. Do Post Regularly
Regular post activity can help you to stay visible and grow engagement with your followers. Keep in mind that it doesn’t need to be every hour; even posting once a day is enough!
4. Do Offer Valuable Content
You can use your social media accounts to share helpful tips, advice, and insights that are related to topics within your industry. This shows your audience that you are knowledgeable and helps them to trust in your business.
5. Do Engage
Don’t just post on your account – engage with other users by responding to comments, liking posts, and mentioning other accounts in your posts. This can help to build relationships with your followers and boost engagement.
Don’ts
1. Don’t Spam
When using social media for business purposes, avoid bombarding people with excessive posts, identical or very similar messages on multiple platforms, or posting too often on the same day. Doing this can come off as spammy and push away potential customers.
2. Don’t Take It All Too Seriously
A successful social media presence should maintain a professional image, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be formal.
Have a sense of humor in your posts, and don’t be afraid to show your company’s more human side.
3. Don’t Ignore Negative Feedback
It can be tempting to delete negative comments, but this isn’t always the best way to handle criticism. Instead, reply to negative comments and try to help the customer resolve their issue if at all possible.
Even when you can’t find a solution, giving a sincere apology can still go a long way in maintaining trust and loyalty.
4. Don’t Focus Too Much on Selling
While promoting your products and services should be one of the goals for your social media presence, don’t go overboard and make too many of your posts into sales pitches.
Keep your content varied and interesting.
5. Don’t Overlook Paid Advertising
Paid ads are an effective way to boost engagement and reach new audiences when used strategically. Experiment with different ad strategies to find what works best for your business.
6. Don’t Forget To Respond
Make sure to respond to any messages that you receive from customers.
Even if it’s just to say, “Thank you for reaching out” or “We’re on it!”, it shows that you are listening to your customers and taking their concerns seriously.
Conclusion
Managing social media the right way can go a long way towards promoting your business’s services and increasing customer loyalty. Just remember to be strategic, stay active, and engage with customers authentically and you’ll see the rewards of your efforts. There you’ll hear from experts on how to make the most out of your business’s social media platforms.
