There are already a number of different benefits to having a social media presence for your business, including (but not limited to) brand awareness, SEO, website traffic and reputation establishment. At the very core of social media, however, is the social aspect. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others are meant to allow for two-way communication between your profiles and others – your customers, your prospects and heck… THE WORLD.
If you’re wondering what kind of things you should be telling people to keep their interest, keep reading. There are a bunch of types of posts you can make on social media. There shouldn’t be any reason why you only log on once every week or two and slap in a random link from your website. Think about what your audience wants to hear. You can post a number of things online, including:
- Published articles
- Photos of your company or your products
- Content that has been curated by you, including blog entries, white papers or eBooks
- Staff birthdays
- Upcoming events
- Sales or promotions
- Poll survey questions
- Infographics or other images related to your industry
One of the more tricky social media questions, What do I do when I get all sorts of funky comments and posts on my pages?, isn’t really that tricky. Simply put, you should answer everything (with the exception of offensive content, which you should delete). Yes, even if it’s an enraged person who is making a ludicrous claim about your company.
Here’s how to handle the different types of incoming communication on social media:
- Questions/Concerns – If someone posts a question or concern onto your page, reply back and answer their question. Not only will it make your customer feel better, but everyone else that comes to your page will see how attentive you are.
- Bad Reviews – If someone writes a bad review to your page or challenges your business principles, do your best to reply back to address their concerns or assertions. For the same reason as stated above, your tactful reply will explain your point of view and show others that not everything that people post has truth to it. Just be careful not to hit below the belt, even if they do.
- Informative comments – Like you, others on social media want to establish their credibility in their given industry. On LinkedIn, many people can and will share relevant information or content to your groups or company page. When someone does this, be sure to not only read the information, but give your feedback as well! Start the conversation – they will remember you at critical points if you have a relationship established.
- Praise/positive reviews – The best kinds of posts are the ones full of love. If someone writes on your accounts with positive feedback, you can still respond to show your thanks. Let these people know that their compliment didn’t go unheard.
- Pictures or check-ins – Especially if you are a B2C company, customers may take pictures with your products or checking in at your location. Show your love by liking those pictures and the activity in your store.
When all else fails, when responding to social media posts, pretend like you are communicating with someone face to face. Many social media sites are like online versions of your storefront, or a networking group.
If you are still unsure of where to start, visit our Social Media page for more information. To contact us with your social media questions, click here.
Image sources: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & LinkedIn.