We’ve all seen it.
The obligatory “post just to post.”
While that may be something your aunt Jene posts each week, it’s definitely not something your potential customers want to hear from your business Facebook page.
People are constantly bombarded with information and content, especially on social media, and small businesses have to cut through the noise to be heard. This means sharing valuable content – information customers want or need to see – not just posting “Happy Thursday” to have a post that day.
There’s a common misconception that it’s better to post something – anything – than to not post at all. However, this lack of strategic planning and messaging can negatively affect engagement and cause customers to hit “unfollow”… or even worse “unlike.”
We know it can feel daunting for small businesses to take time to develop a social media strategy, especially without a marketing budget or designated staff member. Most of the time social media is simply tacked on to someone’s existing personnel duties.
Does that sound like you? We’re here to help you lay a foundation for a solid social media strategy to stop those lame “Happy Thursday” Facebook posts.
Here are three elements to consider before your next post:
Relevancy
Stay relevant to your brand, industry and target audience. When potential customers look at your social media channels, they want to see content that matters to them at that time. This means staying up-to-date on the latest trends and news in your industry, as well as providing your followers with unique, original content. As soon as you’re not telling people what they want or need to hear, they will disengage.
Think about going to a party. Do you want to chat up a boring, self-promoting person the whole time or someone that truly engages and talks about subjects that matter to you? That’s exactly how your social media audiences feel.
Also, consider partnering with a brand ambassador or social media influencer that is relevant to your business and industry. A strategic social media partnership can increase your brand’s relevance and audience engagement.
Authenticity
Be authentic. Stay true to your brand and don’t try to be something you’re not. Your customers will be the first to notice when your messaging doesn’t reinforce your brand identity.
While it’s important to share information about an upcoming discount or sale or to highlight a featured product or service, your audience wants to connect with your brand. Share pictures of the office pet, a recent holiday party or staff members out at lunch. This type of content carries much weight, as it allows your audience to see your personality. It also performs much better organically.
Fifteen members of the Forbes Agency Council recently shared some tips for staying authentic in branding and marketing. Check it out!
Consistency
You need to be posting often, in a voice that is consistent with your other marketing platforms (website, blog, emails, etc.).
We’re not saying to post every day; [refer to the annoying Facebook post at the top of this page to see what happens when businesses try to post every day without a plan] however, you need to be engaging with your audience on a regular basis. If you go radio silent, you won’t stay top-of-mind with your customers. Consider using a social media management tool to schedule posts in advance and to keep track of engagement.
It’s also imperative to remain consistent in your tone of voice and messaging across all social media channels. Even if you have multiple staff members managing your accounts, your customers shouldn’t be able to tell. A strong plan and internal communication are key.
Now What?
These three elements lay the basic foundation for a solid social media strategy, and they can be implemented right away. Relevancy attracts customers to your business, while authenticity and consistency keep them interested and engaged.
Certain aspects of social media management are difficult – building ad audiences, creating an engaging ad, selecting demographics and ad spends can be hard for small businesses to maneuver – but what’s NOT difficult is being yourself and putting some thought and planning behind this free marketing tool.
So, set up a meeting or brainstorming session in your office. Audit your competitors to see what works for them. Consider working with a professional agency* to help you. Start building your brand’s social media strategy today – and thwart all those lame “Happy Thursday” Facebook posts.
*shameless plug