Support Your Clients Through Social Media

 Online Media, Small Business, SMEs, Social Media, Social Media Content  No Responses »
Feb 182013
 

Social media has exploded for business use. More and more businesses are now using it to engage with their customers and connect with potential consumers.  Not all are using it effectively and some utilise it because everyone else is.

In order for businesses to have success on social media they need to have their clients at the forefront of their minds.  If they don’t, their followers or likes will go elsewhere.

So how can businesses support their clients through social media?  It is relatively simple and here are 3 key points that must be part of the strategy.

Listen

Such an easy word but not always followed.  This means paying attention and letting the conversation flow.  What are your audience saying, what are they thinking and how does this concern you?  If you don’t listen, you will not be able to gain the information that is useful to your business.

Learn

By listening, you will be able to discover and identify what your audience wants and needs. If you can’t determine their needs then it will be harder to keep your audience engaged and provide them what they want.

Develop

Once you have determined what it is that your audience wants and needs, then develop your content strategy with this in mind.  Do they want some particular type of content?  Are they after some type of information? New product or service?  Develop want it is they want and you will be able to engage them effectively.

Try it and see what happens!

 

Thanks for reading! Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 18 February, 2013 at 12:48 pm

How to Get Your Message Heard in Social Media Marketing

 Online Content, Online Media, Small Business, SMEs, Social Media, Social Media ROI, Social Media Tips  No Responses »
Feb 112013
 

With an ever-increasing number of online platforms, businesses now have so many choices when it comes to social media.  This can provide the false impression that so long as businesses engage with the networks, everything will fall into place.  This is not the case and it is important to create a social media existence that is purposeful and strategic.

1. Develop a Strategy

A clear strategy around your reasons for using social media and what you hope to achieve is vital.  The strategy needs to combine other business and marketing goals to be part of the overall marketing and communication strategy.  This way everything is interconnected and social media platforms are linked to the main business website and vice versa.

2. Social Media is a Marathon, not a Sprint

Social media is about building relationships and this takes time.  It requires consistency, engaging with others and learning to listen to what individuals are saying.  Spending time having a two-way conversation will be more productive in the long run than forcing a message in a one-way direction.

3. Make it Different

Obviously the usual things apply when on social media, such as add value, have a clear purpose, complete your profile, show personality and so on, however, to stand out, there needs to be an element which is diverse.  Try the following:

  • Use humour
  • Have a cleverly designed infographic
  • Use vibrant colours, easy to understand language
  • Use bold graphics, images, phrases, or titles

Once you have a concept to promote any number of tools can be utilised to make your message stand out.  It is just a matter of experimenting and seeing what works.  Try one of these and see what happens!

 

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 11 February, 2013 at 11:04 am

Social Media is not a “one fits all” approach

 Online Content, Online Marketing, Online Media, Social Media Tips  No Responses »
Jan 292013
 

Social media is the ‘buzz’ word of online marketing, however most businesses are oblivious to their social media efforts and activities.  Most people are under the impression that social media is a ‘one fits all’ approach when in actual fact nothing could be further from reality.  Having a Facebook page does not equal social engagement.  Those businesses that choose to adopt the ‘one fits all’ approach or treat all applications or platforms the same may damage their online creditability in the long run.  Not all platforms have the same interactions and applying them the same way means not being effective in social media.

What to do then?

Not all social media platforms will suit your business so it is essential to select your social media targeted to your business and its requirements.  The key is to choose the best social media platform for your business regardless of what other similar businesses are implementing.  This way you can make the most out of social media and engage with customers and potential ones.

So the key things to consider when choosing a social media platform include:

  • Who is your intended audience?
  • What do you want out of the communication? Brand awareness, demonstrate your expertise, data collection?
  • How much time are you willing to invest in social media?

Once you have decided the best platform to interact for your business, commit to a long term strategy for the best results.  There is no right or wrong just experimentation.  With some strategic thought you will go a long way to ensuring that you have a positive social media engagement.

 

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 29 January, 2013 at 1:21 pm

Which Social Media Platform is Best for Your Business?

 Online Marketing, Online Media, Social Media, Social Media Tips, Social Network Sites  No Responses »
Oct 082012
 

Social media is literally everywhere these days.  Lots of businesses are using it to connect, market and communicate.  As a tool, social media has the potential to reach potential customers and to let everyone know about your business.  Investing time and money is crucial and choosing the ‘right’ platform is even more important.  However, with so many social media sites which is the best platform to use for your business?

Firstly, business doesn’t need to have multiple platform interaction.  Starting off with only one or two platforms is a better strategy than investing time and money in five.  Once you have achieved success with one, you can add more but only if it will provide value to the business.

Secondly, determine what you want to achieve.  What are your desired outcomes?  Consider the variety of advantages and disadvantages of each social media platform and weigh these up against your goals, costs and likely results.

Thirdly, social media needs to be part of an overall marketing and communication strategy.  Social media shouldn’t be the only tool to use.  Use it as part of a larger communication tool kit.  Too often businesses rush in without thinking about the long-term approach because everyone else is using it.  This will not bring success, only frustration.

These three points are crucial to determining what social media platform to utilise.  Spend time at the beginning to consider what goals social media will achieve for your business.  Have a well thought out approach and then commit for the long term.

Bear in mind the three following key words: consider, plan and commit.  This will likely bring the achievement you are looking for and keep you flexible enough in a dynamic environment.

Give it a try and see what happens!

 

What has worked for others?

 

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 8 October, 2012 at 11:17 am

Employers Can Manage Social Media Risks

 Online Media, Online Reputation, Social Media, Social Media in the Workplace, Social Media Policy, Social Media Risks  No Responses »
Sep 102012
 

Social media is growing rapidly and with it comes endless opportunities and many advantages for business.  However, with hand held devices increasing and social media sites embedded in people’s lives comes a blurring of the lines between professional and private space.  Bearing this is mind employers cannot ignore social media as it is here to stay and it has wide reaching implications for those employers who choose to bury their head in the sand.

Some of the risks that can occur include:

  • leaking of confidential information
  • employees airing their dirty linen in public
  • adverse impact on brand reputation
  • negative comments posted online which triggers bullying allegations

So the key question is “how do employers manage their social media risk?”

A Social Media Policy is a good start however this as a stand-alone is not sufficient.  It needs to be part of coordinated HR management strategy that includes the following:

  • A strong Employment Contract – which highlights the types of behaviours which may lead to dismissal
  • A Social Media Policy – which is linked to the Employment Contract and includes acceptable/not acceptable behaviour and inappropriate usage in and out of the workplace
  • Guidelines on Usage of Social Media during Work Hours – should there be a blanket ban on personal use in the workplace?
  • Employee Training – regular training can be an effective tool to make sure that employees understand what is expected from the policies.
  • Discipline & Termination Procedure – a policy without discipline consequences is unlikely to be effective.  It can be used as a deterrent to discourage employees from using social media negatively.

What do others believe is effective?

 

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 10 September, 2012 at 11:37 am

Social Media in 5 Steps

 Online Marketing, Online Media, Social Media, Social Media Tips  No Responses »
Aug 272012
 

Social media is about communicating, connecting and building relationships.  For business, it is another tool to communicate with clients and partners.  Not engaging in this space means missing out on opportunities to explore an exciting environment.  Social media, although free to use, requires time and effort as well as strategic thinking and planning to obtain results.

The following 5 steps provide a straightforward approach that can enhance your business value over a period of time.

1. Plan: Have a social media strategy as part of overall marketing and business objectives.  A structured approach provides a focus, manages expectations and targets development.

2. Content: In order to get noticed by your target audience, share interesting and informative content.  Share news, opinions and articles relevant to your industry and provide different formats of content including text, clips, and graphics.

3. Consistency: Posting regularly is a good way to see opportunities come your way.  People get to know you and what you are about.  A publishing schedule can support the consistency needed.

4. Commitment: Before commencing to engage in social media make a commitment to persist for the long term.  Results will not be immediate so dedication is needed to keep participating, being enthusiastic and developing.

5. Listen: once you are engaging on social media, take the time to genuinely listen to what is being said by your audience.  Understand what their requirements are so that you are able to respond appropriately.

Social media is a long-term process.  Have an open mindset and a commitment to stick with the plan.  Be flexible even when results are not forthcoming.  Keep working towards the goals by being active, consistent and engaging.

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 27 August, 2012 at 3:35 pm

What Makes Social Media ‘Social’

 Online Content, Online Media, Social Media  No Responses »
Aug 202012
 

So what is it about social media that makes it ‘social’ and challenging to traditional media?  Social media has a ‘many to many’ structure, it is immediate and the creating and publishing of user generated content makes participants ‘active’ in an environment that is more ‘bottom up’ than ‘top down’.  Its characteristics are more inclusive and appealing (although these same characteristics can also be used negatively).

 Here are 4 aspects that make social media more social:

Openness

Opinions, contributions and sharing of information are the core aspects of social media.  Businesses that interact and engage with the audience via this space must get to know and understand their audience.  They must build relationships based on respect and integrity.

Participation

Traditional media is a linear medium that broadcasts or prints information to an audience in a one-to-many structure.  Social media is collaborative with contributions from the audience (user generated content) allowing them to participate in a two-way interaction of sharing, contribution and conversation.  The user is both the producer and the consumer in a many-to-many structure.

Community

Groups are formed easily to develop communities that are based on shared common interests.  These communities share information and engage according to their topic of interest.  People feel a sense of belonging that they can interact with like-minded people.

Connection

Social media flourishes on being connected.  Not only are you connected to the people in your network you are also linked to their connections.  Thus, users are able to utilise links, resources and people from a vast network.

Businesses must remember these key points if they want to connect with their audience!

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 20 August, 2012 at 4:06 pm

Does Your Workplace Have A Social Media Policy?

 Online Brand Reputation, Online Media, Online Reputation, Social Media, Social Media in the Workplace, Social Media Policy  No Responses »
Jul 232012
 

As social media continues to grow, statistics in Australia show all platforms increasing.  With it comes a blurring of the lines between personal and business communication especially in the workplace.

Social media is more extensive than simply having a Facebook account.  It involves a spectrum of technologies that include web and mobile technologies including blogging, LinkedIn, text messaging, MSN Messenger and Skype all Web 2.0 platforms that encourage interactivity.  This may cause disruption in the workplace as employees can become preoccupied with non-work related issues.

Some employers make social media sites inaccessible in the workplace.  However, blocking such sites is neither suitable nor practical particularly in this age of changing communication and youth who have grown up not knowing life without the online space.

The solution is to have a policy that is balanced and makes clear what is appropriate behaviour.  No one policy will work for all organisations.  Such policies need to be tailored to the culture of the workplace.  But there are some key points that are collectively relevant and important to consider:

o       Include a definition of social media

o       Make employees aware there is a policy

o       Have consequences for breaking the social media policy

o       Implement it alongside your Internet and email policy

o       Have a training session to implement the policy

o       Have employees sign off that they understand the policy

There is no doubt that the use of social media in the workplace has become one of the hottest issues in human resources for a number of years.  Social media is part of the dynamic and constantly changing world of communication in the 21st century.  A blocking strategy is an overreaction and should be avoided, as employees will resent it.  A collaborative approach is more desirable and more in tune with a modern workforce.

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 23 July, 2012 at 11:25 am

Social Media and Managing Your Online Brand and Reputation

 Online Brand Reputation, Online Content, Online Marketing, Online Media, Online Reputation, Social Media, Social Media in the Workplace, Social Media Tips, Social Network Sites  No Responses »
Jul 162012
 

Social media is an important tool for business communications.  Despite the positive aspects it brings, the nature of social media means that someone airing their bad experience online does so, instantly and potentially to a massive audience.

As the online environment becomes more crucial to business, and more people are continuously online, increasingly they will comment on their experience with friends via Facebook, blogs, Twitter and so on.  This emerges as a risk that all businesses need to manage.  Any negative comments from disgruntled customers (or employees) can potentially be very damaging to a business image if it goes ‘viral’.

Here are 3 steps for SMEs to be proactive in managing their brand and reputation:

1. Audit

This is essential to assess your brand and reputation and see exactly what people think about your business.  These conversations are happening with or without your presence so there is plenty of information out there.  Therefore it is vital for business to be a part of the online community and monitor what is being said about them.

2. Positive Content

It is unlikely that you will be able to have every negative comment or image removed from its original source.  Content which is hosted on a third’s party’s site is content that will be challenging to remove.  If you have been unsuccessful in asking nicely to have it removed, be proactive and keep publishing constructive content.  This can diminish the negative content’s visibility to the lower end of an engine search.

3. Track & Monitor

Think about key words or phrases that you believe symbolise you, your company, and your brand.  These can be typed into a search engine to see what comes up.  Better still, to be more efficient set up ‘alerts’ (i.e Google Alert) with your key words so that you are notified each time there is a post or tweet that mentions your key words.

Be cautious about trying to have negative comments removed as this may cause more damage as it alerts individuals to the content and suggests you are trying to hide something!!  Accept that the online environment is something you can’t control and that negative comments will always be part of equation.  Business can only track, monitor, negate and correct factual information.

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 16 July, 2012 at 10:59 am

Online Social Media Strategies to Move Your Buisness Forward

 Online Content, Online Marketing, Online Media, Small Business, SMEs, Social Media, Social Media Tips  No Responses »
Jul 102012
 

With social media changing daily it can be challenging to keep up especially when you are a sole business operator.  However, there are simple strategies that remain effective despite the fluid online environment.

To begin with choose one or two strategies discussed below and eventually work your way through all of them.  Implementing them this way facilitates more likely success as you are able to refine each strategy as you go instead of becoming overwhelmed with having too many!

1. Develop a Strategy

Having a social media strategy is vital and can’t be stressed enough.  It is essentially important to have a clear strategy around your reasons for using social media and the goals you hope to achieve.  The strategy needs to combine other business and marketing goals to be part of the overall marketing and communication strategy.  Therefore, everything is interconnected for maximum affect.

2. Social Media Means Being Social

One of the most common mistakes people make in respect to social media is that they treat it like traditional media – forcing a message in a one-way direction.  Social media is about building relationships and this takes time.  It requires consistent posting always engaging with others and learning to listen to what individuals are saying.  So the key is to be active, consistent and engaging.

3. Content is Still King

Content is king on the Internet.  Search engines love it and so does your target audience if you are providing them with information they require.  Static websites no longer work so add articles on a regular basis.  If you have a blog then update it regularly at least on a weekly basis and more if feasible.  Your Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn platforms also need to be active and this can be done everyday with content such as quotes, clips or articles.

4. Make it Different

To stand out in social media there needs to be an element that is diverse.  There are a number of simple ways this can be achieved and here are some things to experiment with:

  • Use humour
  • Have a cleverly designed infographic
  • Use vibrant colours, easy to understand language
  • Use bold graphics, images, phrases, or titles

5. Use Video as Content

Video makes you visible and is a great tool to add to your marketing kit.  Potential customers may feel you to be more “trustworthy” or “real” when they see your face and hear you speak.  It is not as complicated as you think and once you have done it a few times it will be second nature and a great way to build relationships.

6. SEO is Important

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is essential and critical for online success.  It is not as intimidating as it sounds.  There are tech people that can support you with this.  However, you can learn about SEO and navigate simple techniques to begin with.  For example, starting your own blog if attached to your website is great for SEO.  As your rankings improve, targeted traffic will increase and hopefully generate more leads

So why not give one a go and see what happens? I look forward to hearing your feedback.

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 10 July, 2012 at 11:35 am
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