A Cheat Sheet to Elevating Your Social Media Presence

By Hannah Wilson:

Social media is a place where brands can be brought to life in a brighter, more personable way. Some brands have a great social media presence (take Wendy’s and the Nebraska Humane Society, for example), whereas others are struggling to make themselves known. The social media industry is continuously changing, and it’s vital for brands to keep up. Followers want to see more than products from the brands they follow; they want to feel a personal connection with the brand.

Every social media strategist has experienced some form of “social media writer’s block” at one point, in which we feel like we’ve exhausted all creative ideas. And we’ve all struggled to come up with new ways to grow our following. However, it’s never too late to elevate your social media presence. 90% of all marketers say social media marketing has increased their business exposure. If you work in an agency, you need a strategy that works for each different client you have.

Use this cheat sheet to be more authentic and learn how to liven up your social media presence.

Use this cheat sheet from @Hannah_RBM to be more authentic and learn how to liven up your #SocialMedia presence! Click To Tweet

What To Do

Know your audience, utilize best posting times, always be in the know of what’s trending, blah, blah, blah. Wait, did a Social Media Strategist just say “blah, blah, blah” when referring to what her job entails? Yes, yes, she did. Here’s why: It’s essential to know who your audience is so your content is targeted specifically to them. It’s best practice to post during high engagement times, and it’s important to keep up with new trends to stay relevant. But, to be successful on social media, you HAVE to scratch more than the surface. Here’s what you should be doing:

Post content people actually care about 

What do people want to see? To stand out, you have to post different (and better) content than everyone else, especially your competitors. Start by figuring out what sites your audience is on as this will tell you where you should be posting. Most companies use Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Then, you can begin to target when they are on those sites to know when you should be posting. Have your SEO team pull best posting times for you. To know what type of content to post, dive into your audience’s interests and hobbies.

TIP: Be creative, post original content, and give your followers content that will make them stop scrolling.

Be human

Although you are running social media accounts on behalf of a company, it’s still important to have personality. You don’t want to be just a company; you want to be personable. Show off the human side by honing the brand’s voice. To avoid coming off as a robot, only automate when necessary. The automation of scheduled social posts is a huge help, but don’t automate all the content as this will seem robotic to your followers. HubSpot and Buffer are great tools to utilize.

TIP: Don’t be afraid to be funny, when appropriate. Reply to your followers like they’re your friends. Have a calendar to ensure you’re sticking to a schedule and posting consistently.

Set up your accounts for success 

Did you know you can optimize your accounts to get better engagement? No, we’re not just taking SEO here. Although you should use relevant keywords and imagery, there is so much more to optimization. First, make sure you have fully completed social accounts (profile photo, header image, bio, etc.). Second, stay on top of breaking news, trending hashtags, and the latest memes and GIFs to show off a brand’s personality and receive social attention.

TIP: Connect with relevant accounts. Use visuals such as photos, videos, and infographics frequently as they tend to perform well. Don’t be afraid to pay for social ads and influencer marketing. Both of these tactics have many benefits, including your company’s ROI.

To be successful on #SocialMedia you have to scratch more than just the surface. Take these tips from @Hannah_RBM to see what you should be doing: Click To Tweet

What Not To Do

Hi, it’s me again, your long-lost company social media page. One of the most important things not to do is to become inactive with your social media accounts. You cannot expect social media to give back to you without devoting adequate time. It’s important to stay active, post fresh content, and prioritize social media platforms based on the audience. Here is what you should not be doing:

Don’t get caught up in the number of followers 

Although it may seem counterintuitive, social media is not just about the number of followers you have. Don’t just focus on gaining a significant amount of followers—focus on building relationships with those you have. People will see how you interact with your current followers and follow you because they want to be a part of the social atmosphere you’ve created. Know that it’s better to have a few engaging followers than lots of followers who never interact.

Don’t post aimlessly 

Curated content here, organic content there, a GIF here, and a meme there. Everything you post should have a purpose. Know the why behind what you are posting on social media, whether it be a recent blog post or relevant resource. Your audience will become bored when your social media feeds are clogged with “buy this book” and “read this blog.” Give your social media more meaning, and your audience will take notice.

Don’t only sell 

Yes, you want to “sell” to your client’s customers, but it gets annoying when that’s the only thing you push on social media. Promote things that offer solutions instead of posting products all the time. The goal is to earn a lifelong customer, not drive interested customers away. Selling on social media is an excellent thing to include in your strategy, but you can add more value to your accounts by giving your followers intriguing content that gives them the desire to come back for more.

Social media has to be taken seriously to see a good return on investment. You likely spend a lot of time working with your social accounts, so don’t let the work go to waste. One way you can make your company’s social media presence more known is by putting links to your social accounts everywhere—have “follow” buttons on your website and in your blogs, and anywhere else that makes sense.

Another great way to get attention is to occasionally cross-promote one social media account to another. Know there is no secret to success, but there are tons of tactics you can implement in your social media strategy to make your presence better. Plus, new tactics and trends are making waves every day.

And, hey, while you’re at it, give Red Branch a follow!