Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Flipboard 0 Today’s audiences are more media- and tech-savvy than any who came before them, and with each passing day they get better at sniffing out self-serving and insincere social media activity. What brands have to do is stop trying to game the system and start actually believing in the real power and purpose of social media. We’ve put together a quick DOs and DON’Ts guide to help you tap into that power and make the most out of your social channels. DO … … stay active on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, even especially when you don’t have a new product to promote. If you’re only active around product launches/promotions, audiences are going to pick up on that and the interactions won’t feel genuine. When you don’t have a new product to sell is exactly when you want to ramp up your social activity. It shows that your focus is on addressing the needs and concerns of your followers and keeping your finger on the pulse of the industry, rather than simply seeking the almighty dollar. DON’T … … use social media as a means to distribute repetitive lists of technical specs. This is the space where you want to share compelling stories and have conversations with your audience about topics on their mind and yours. You’re not going to get much engagement out of a bulleted list of product specs on Facebook, but post a video that shows real people benefiting from your product or service in real-world settings, and you’ll see that video get shared, liked and commented on far more than a boring list ever would. DO … … interact with your followers. When they tweet you a question or post a comment on one of your updates, respond to them. Show your followers that you’re paying attention and that you’re not treating social channels as corporate megaphones. Instead, let them see that you’re really listening to what they have to say and giving their comments due consideration. Remember, social media engagement is a two-way street. DON’T … … lose your cool when you receive negative comments. It’s bound to happen. You’ll never be able to please everyone, but that doesn’t mean doing so shouldn’t be your goal (yes, I’m aware of the double negative, but sometimes it’s called for). Keep a level head when dealing with less-than-flattering remarks on social media. Tailor your responses so that it’s clear your objective is to see why someone had a negative experience with your brand and how you can fix it for them. You’d be surprised at how many opportunities there are via social media channels for companies to convert dissatisfied customers to happy and loyal brand advocates. It just takes a little effort. DO … … tailor your content to the platform. This shows audiences that you’re paying attention to what they use specific social channels for and you’re not going to disrupt their use of those platforms. Remember, seven paragraphs is not a Facebook update. It’s a blog post. Know what you’re sharing, where you’re sharing it and who you’re sharing it with. DON’T … … let your content pipeline dry up. There’s always a story to tell, an anecdote to share. Mix it up between your own content and user-generated content. This furthers your engagement with the audience and reinforces the fact that you want their voices to be heard. Hold contests to spark interest in this interaction. It can be as simple as a caption contest with a funny image to an opportunity for someone to have their in-depth blog post published on your site (on a relevant topic of course) and shared via your social channels. Or maybe you ask them to shoot a creative video where they tell their story about how your brand has impacted their life. These, too, can be tailored to the platform. A creative Vine contest, for example, could help boost your engagement on Twitter. The Bottom Line … Ultimately, when you say that you want to “build a community” and “engage with customers and prospects,” you have to actually mean it. If your social channels are dark for six months and then suddenly there’s a ton of activity when you’ve got a new product to promote, online audiences are going to see right through that. But, if you regularly and sincerely interact with people online and encourage them to make their voices heard, offering your brand as a mechanism for them to do so, you’ll see major dividends. Twitter Tweet Facebook Share Email This article originally appeared on March Communications and has been republished with permission.Find out how to syndicate your content with B2C Author: Connor Brooke Connor is a Scottish financial expert, specialising in wealth management and equity investing. Based in Glasgow, Connor writes full-time for a wide selection of financial websites, whilst also providing startup consulting to small businesses. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, and a Master’s degree in Investment Fund Management, Connor has … View full profile ›More by this author:ACH Crypto Price Prediction 2022 – Is it a Buy?Lucky Block Partners with Dillian Whyte ahead of Heavyweight Showdown with Tyson FuryNFT Pixel Art – The Best NFT Collections for 2022