The Do's and Don'ts of Social Media Marketing Strategies for Business
Phew, you’ve finally worked out your brand and are getting your website together.
Time to sit back and watch the customers come, right?
Well just as death and taxes are inevitable, so is change and nothing moves at the speed of light quite like the digital age we live in. Social media is the new and emerging technology that empowers and enables people to engage, share and collaborate with each other.
So what does that have to do with your website and business?
Consumers now expect to talk and interact with brands. They are much more educated and aware of slick marketing strategies. Cynical some might say. The vast majority would rather trust and prefer peer recommendations – a return to word of mouth marketing – and the explosion of social media powerfully demonstrates this.
You can’t afford to ignore social media as an additional touch point where your customers are spending their time. Consider this, an important part of the process prior to purchase will include consideration, evaluation, recommendations. Once a purchase is made they will then experience, advocate (good or bad) and hopefully bond with the product and your company. Social media plays an integral part in this.
I’m sure you’ve been to chatting in the tea room with colleagues and friends when discussion goes to a new purchase someone has made or perhaps someone asks for recommendations when considering a purchase. Social media is not dissimilar, but on steroids. The average person on Facebook has 130 friends and family. Imagine the power and penetration a good experience of your product can have. Potentially, you have, in a single transaction, the opportunity to connect via recommendation to communities of 130 likeminded people who are each connected to another 130 people and so on. It’s hard to imagine a more targeted marketing strategy or a better opportunity to connect and engage with communities.
Your website needs to be so much more than a passive instrument. It needs to be a true hub for your business a living, breathing vehicle which encourages interaction in and out of your business. Using the power of Paxigo, your site can become your home base for interaction with your social media audience. The choice is yours, Facebook, Linked in ( great for professional businesses) and Twitter. All in one convenient location, from your website. Paxigo will ensure your comments and interaction are posted to one or all that you choose.
Guiding Principles
- It is important to engage and interact with your audience. This isn’t about telling and making statements
- Listen and learn from each interaction
- If someone asks a question, answer it immediately
- Become a valuable member of their community, don’t sell , instead contribute and educate
- Be authentic, be yourself. It’s all about a consistent message of who you are and what the experience will be throughout your web site and your interactions.
- Create a reason for them following you
Benefits of utilising social media
- Attracts customers
- Connects into like minded communities
- Educates buyers
- Overcomes resistence
- Establishes creditability
- Tells your story
- Builds a buzz, chatter and a base of committed customers
- Inspires customers to be advocates and influencers
Control
Now this is often the hardest thing to grapple with. You will need to relinquish control of your message. Scary I know because, to a certain extent this may open yourself and your product up to criticism.
If you have spent time considering and developing your message and used straight forward language it will be easy to share. People will then put their own spin on it (which can be useful information for developing and improving your brand to your market). Let the community share and shape the message.
Dealing with negative feedback
This is the most common fear and the number one block to engaging in social media.
The feedback can be divided into a number of categories;
- Straight problems.
- Constructive criticism
- Merited attacks
- Trolling/Spam
It can be turned to your advantage if acknowledged positively with a focus on solutions. When addressed quickly it demonstrates your commitment to providing a better product and/or service. It places a value and importance on the individual. Who wouldn’t be impressed. It’s amazing how understanding people can be and it gives you the opportunity improve.
Unfortunately there are some people out there, for whom nothing will ever be right, who take some perverse enjoyment in particularly vicious comment. Please don’t let these people deter you and don’t buy in to their negativity. Believe in your product. Stay positive in all your interactions.
Research strongly shows that if you build a committed and dedicated community they tend to act on your behalf, refuting any unwarranted comments and act as your gatekeeper. The trolls tend to lose interest quite quickly, in the face of overwhelming support and go away.
Time
Yet another thing to do in your busy working day?
Start small and do a little every day. Set aside say 15-30 minutes in the morning or at the end of the day to check the chatter and respond, write some comment or inform. A little every day is better than inconsistent exchanges or lots of content hardly ever.
If your market is in a different time zone, try to find a time for engagement and stick to it. People will get used to it and know when they can find you.
Essential do’s and don'ts
Do
Take a long term, big picture view of your interaction within social media.
Don’t
Expect instant rewards and recognition. Your creditability, the relationships you develop and following you build are developed over time. You need to earn your customers trust and respect.
Do
Build a facebook business page with a link to your website
Keep it succinct with a clear message that is consistent with your website, business and personal branding
Don’t
Try to tell you whole story on your Facebook page. Imagine you have 10 seconds maximum to piqué interest as it is scanned by the reader. They will go to your website if they want more information. Nothing more boring and a turn off, than endless words. Keep it simple and authentic.
Don’t use flash. It might look clever and creative but in today’s changing media it doesn’t work on iphones or ipads and their apps. All people will get is a blank screen – not a good first impression. Flash can also take, what seems like an age to load. Given people scan in a 3 second period you don’t want it taken up waiting for something that they will be too impatient or can’t see.
A recent report from research firm the Nielsen Company highlighted the extent of Australians’ keen interest in the year ahead for new communication.. The study found that 36% of people also accessed the internet via their mobile phones in the previous 30 days and 13 % accessed it via a hand held device other than a mobile phone. The numbers are expected to climb to 50 % and 30% respectively during the next year (* The Australian, Jan 8th 2011).
Do
Ensure you website is up to date and constantly changing with new and interesting information to encourage people to engage with you and keep returning to view the new information/ products/services.
Ensure your website branding, messaging and language is consistent with your social media presence and visa versa.
Use video links and maybe some flash once people are into your site
Don’t
Provide a link to a site that isn’t working or up to date.
Example: I recently received an excited invitation from an acquaintance to a new business they had set up on Facebook. Raring to go , wanting to engage with the digital world and with the best intention they set up their business Facebook page. They had done completely the right thing and contacted friends and colleagues to view this new venture. Full of anticipation I accepted only to see an endless sea of words. I read the first paragraph and almost immediately skipped to the end and clicked on the link to their website. Up it sprang with a lovely logo and the magic words “website under construction”. With a deadening of heart I clicked out
Lesson: You have just one chance to grab the initial attention of your audience. Make sure it counts. Ensure everything is in place and working before invitations are sent.
Do
Research and find out if communities already exist with potentially a special interest in your product or service. Once you have found them, join in – gently engaging them to start with. You might want trust and loyal customers to comment on their experience of you and your product to assist in your introduction.
Don’t
Be pushy. We all know what it is like when someone, larger than life barges into our space with their “expert” views.
Do
Ensure you maintain a consistent, authentic message in all your interactions
Make sure you interactions add value
Stay positive, offer ideas, advice and solutions
Ask lots of questions. It quickly engages and encourages discussion
Don’t
Spam people with what you are doing every minute of the day. Who cares what you had for lunch
Criticise, make judgement or be negative in any of your comments. Remember “if you have nothing positive to say, say nothing”. If you think the comment you are about to make could be misinterpreted or misunderstood, then you are probably right – say nothing.
Criticise or bad mouth your opposition, make personal comment or dismiss opinion that may differ from yours. You will build respect.
Do
Consider using the same personal brand imagery across all your social media and websites. If you put up a personal photo either use the same photo or at least ensure all imagery is consistent.
Maintain a consistent use of language. A change in language style may confuse your audience and make them question who they are really dealing with.
Consider your interactions and comments on your personal facebook page and how it matches your business image.
Don’t
Put photos, images and content on your personal page that contradict your brand image.
Example: A new site was established to enable entrepreneurial business women to meet, network and provide personal development and growth opportunities. The operator was using her established personal brand to attract and drive the growth of the business. A lot of thought and effort went into a great website and excellent brand messaging. The big disconnect came when accessing her personal Facebook page which she enabled people to join. First image on the site was a photo in a social setting. The trail of negative personal comments vented her frustrations with life and individuals. All completely at odds with the professional imagine, business branding and persona she was trying to create.
Lesson: Give careful consideration to who you allow into your personal space. What you say in confidence to trusted friends should stay there. Remember the digital world is a very small place and with less than 6 degrees of separation. It’s amazing the connections that can be made in double quick time which can either verify or bring into question your authenticity.