Possibly the biggest goal for marketers today is to manage your social media business pages and be seen and trusted by your audiences. Most marketers will agree, building trust doesn’t come easily. There are several social media best practices for marketers to follow to maximize their efforts and campaigns to get results. 

Here we discuss 10 tips to adhere to when managing your social media business pages.

1. Start with a plan. Every good strategy starts with a plan. Taking the time to create a social media plan upfront will ensure all your efforts support specific business goals. Without a plan, you have no direction on what you are trying to achieve through your social media posts, and no way to measure your success in getting there. Base your goals on metrics that will impact your business, like acquiring customers or raising your conversions rate, rather than simply racking up likes and followers.
2. Decide which platforms are right to reach your ideal customers and focus on one or two social media platforms. Not every business translates on every social media platform. Figure out which channels your ideal customers use the most. Your gut instinct might be to skip LinkedIn or Facebook and focus on Instagram if you’re targeting Millennials, but the data shows there are 87 million Millennials on LinkedIn with 11 million in decision-making positions and that 82% of Millennials still use Facebook. Focus on getting good at one platform at a time. As you get more proficient, you can bring on another social media platform. If you have the funds, you should consider hiring someone to help you. Your business deserves someone who loves engaging and creating, so you can focus on your business.
   
   
3. Build meaningful relationships. Social Media is an extension of real life. It’s kind of like dating or making new friends. So, it would be weird to “meet” someone on a platform and ask them to go away for the weekend with you. To get engagement, you need to engage. So how can you make yours more meaningful? Start by responding to comments. Answering questions. Being present. Don’t just drop a post and hide. Hang out in groups that have your ideal client. Again, be authentic. Ask questions. Post information that ties into what you do. Do not inbox people with a sales push. This is all too common in network marketing. Obviously, these well-intentioned people are being taught this method. Ask questions first. Send a compliment. Find common ground. Anything else feels icky. Content is king, so add value to your social media platforms. It’s better to use social media to promote the exchange of ideas and participate in the conversation in an authentic way. People will find you to be an expert if you spend time explaining your area of expertise and building a meaningful connection with them.
4. Develop a unique voice that is yours and be open to connect with people on a human level. Your pages should have a personality and should be an extension of your brand. Share your passions, your mission and why you do what you do. However, leave out things that are over-sharing or have zero to do with your business. Of course, keep in mind that if you are a more casual person, but have a more formal business, you need to keep that in mind when you show up. For example, there are brands that swear, use slang or acronyms, and have an easy-going vibe. That can absolutely work, but it is definitely not for every brand. Always keep your ideal client front of mind and you will naturally figure out how to speak to them. Obviously, don’t air dirty laundry, be negative, or invoke religion or politics. People love a story that resonates with them. Have a story that connects your brand to you as a person. People remember the smallest things and when you endear yourselves to them, you create a lasting loyalty.
5. Find collaborators, referral partners, and complementary businesses. This is an often-overlooked idea, but it makes so much sense. When you find a person, who has a business that compliments yours, you can tap into their fan base in an organic way. Maybe you could collaborate with their business, package your products together, do an interview online, or do a cross promotion. Again, you need to build this relationship and not just out of left field ask them to do business with you. This can be a very powerful way to leverage new business and recognition.
6. Share compelling images in your social media. Visuals are everything. Use free stock photos like PIXLR, Unsplash, Pixabay, Depositphotos, and Pexels, or buy good quality photos for your branding from other sites. It is so worth it. People are drawn to quality photos and it establishes you as a professional. Start where you can. You don’t need to the best photographer in the world. Maybe barter with another photographer initially to get your pictures done. It cannot be overstated how important this is to build your brand. One look at Instagram will tell you that.
7. Post multiple times a day, but do not over post. There is a fine line to posting. You want to post enough to stay top of mind and to get exposure, but you don’t want to be spammy. The last thing you want to do is annoy your audience. It just takes one keystroke to hide you or unfollow you forever.
8. Post client testimonials. People love real feedback and critique. Have pictures of real people benefiting from your products and services. It makes people see themselves doing the same. People love referrals. Encourage customer referrals in whatever way makes sense for your business so that you accumulate a cache of usable reviews.
9. Connect with influencers. This is a very powerful social media tool. The Fab Fit Fun box is a huge example of using influencers. Sending your products to people with a huge influence in exchange for the hope they like it and can promote you can be a great technique to get your message out in front of an audience. Don’t just think of celebrities. There are some powerful influencers on YouTube and Instagram who you probably have never heard of. Search applicable keywords and you will start to find people that could be a good influence to reach your target buyers.
10. Use VIDEO! Video is favored on almost all the social media platforms. In fact, 85% of all internet users in the United States watched online video content monthly on any of their devices and 54% of consumers want to see more video content from a brand or business they support. So, don’t make it complicated. Get a ring light from Amazon and a phone holder and you are ready to go. Choose a nice backdrop in your house or business or create one. You are a quick Pinterest search away from finding a way to create backgrounds easily and without spending a ton of money.

Final Word

Social media has proven to be one of the best tools out there for digital marketing. Social media has tremendous power in helping you be seen and trusted by your audiences, so it’s important to create an effective strategy to engage with the right prospects and buyers. From building relationships to maintaining a connection to your followers with the right messages, these best practices are simply a critical way to think about the effects your words, pictures, and videos have before sharing them with hundreds or thousands of your peers.

Do you have any other social media tips to share? Please let us know your thoughts and comments by contacting us. We’d love to hear from you.   

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