In 2015, social media is being used for EVERYTHING! If businesses wish to grow their brand awareness and stay relevant in the digital space, it is important to take advantage of these platforms. Consistently utilizing social media is a great way to create long lasting relationships with your consumers, that is if you know how to use it! Below are some tips to create successful social media posts.
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Link All Social Media Accounts
One of the most common mistakes is not linking all of your social media accounts. Linking these will benefit your brand by reaching a variety of consumers on many different social media channels. You have to be sure that your posts are consistent and happen on a regular basis! Doing this will keep your brand consistent in the minds of the consumers. Not to mention, some brand message repetition couldn’t hurt.
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Create a Variety of Content
Now that you have all of your social accounts linked, it’s time to start posting. But, what do you post? A general rule of thumb to follow is the 80/20 rule. That is to say, 20% of posts should be used to promote your brand, while 80% of posts should be used to share content that your followers would find interesting (while staying relevant to your industry). In other words, your social media accounts should not solely be used to sell, sell, sell. Instead, keep consumers interested by sharing relevant industry news, fun facts and other content that represents your brand’s culture and values!
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Mix Up the Media
Now the question is… HOW are you going to get your message across? Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to communicate your message. How about a video? A photograph? Text is fine too, just remember to mix it up! There is shown to be much less engagement on social when using one method of communication in every single post.
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Add Hashtags
Now that you’ve got your post ready to go, don’t forget to add hashtags (this little guy -> #) before you click submit! Including hashtags will add your posts to relevant groups and make them searchable to the public. For instance, someone who searches “#animals” will find a ton of content associated with animals. When consumers search a hashtag that your company happened to use in a social post, they will find you. That makes things a lot easier for you and the consumer!
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Stay Up-To-Date
Timing is everything, right? So, making sure you post at the right time is extremely important. We live in a fast-paced world and social media waits for no one. Consumers want to know what is happening right now and they turn to social media to get the latest scoop. Be sure you’re there to give it to them and use analytics to do so!
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Have a Call to Action
Social media is all about interaction. How many likes do you have? How many shares? Unfortunately, consumers will not always like, share, or comment on your posts. So, how can we change this? One easy fix is to include a call to action within your post. For instance calls to action such as, “like this post and you will be entered into a drawing to receive a gift card!” or “share to support the cause!” will engage consumers and prompt them to start a conversation.
Now you have what you need to JUMP into your social media accounts and start posting! #GoodLuck
