Networking is no longer just updating your business card and dispersing as needed. It has become more than just rubbing elbows with fellow business owners at the annual banquet and making calls to potential clients. Today’s definition of networking includes an array of virtual options that are becoming common-place in the communication mix, and we are left with social networking. Providing an abundance of options, opportunities and potential, social networking or social media, can become very overwhelming. Great Plains Communications would like to share just five basic tips to keep in mind when starting up your business’ social presence.
- Pick the right platform for your business. Don’t feel like you have to utilize every social media outlet. First figure out your demographic, and plan accordingly. If you are targeting an older market, Twitter might not be the best use of your time. Instead of quantity, focus on the quality of content you are publishing.
- Keep it updated and consistent. One of the biggest unspoken rules of social media is to keep your information up-to-date. This means information from your past experience on LinkedIn, to office hours and company values on Facebook. You must also keep it consistent. By keeping the ‘About Me’ of your company consistent on all social networks, you build branding and association for the customer.
- Start the conversation. Plan out your content and make sure you are present on your sites. This doesn’t mean you need to spend hours on Twitter or constantly checking Facebook. Rule of thumb, a minimum of three Facebook posts a week and five tweets a week. It is different for every business, but never posting can look worse than not having a site at all.
- Share the love. Just as you ask friends to like your page or follow your account, reach out and do the same for other businesses. When you retweet, you get retweeted. This comes from the ‘I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine’ mentality. If you see a post that you think your customers would benefit from, share it.
- Track results and adjust. All social networks have some form of analytics or tracking feature to let you see just how well your posts are doing. Don’t take it personally if you don’t get retweeted, or if nobody likes your post. Social media is about trying new things and figuring out what works for your business and your customers. Take the results, adjust and try something else. Don’t give up.