Communication and marketing issues are common in businesses, whether you’re only starting or already close to the top. Many usually turn to social media in business to resolve these problems, especially those about:
- outreach and communication
- insights and research
- customer service and support
- community management
- advertising and awareness
- managing reputation
- search engine optimization
Creating a Social Media Strategy
Solving business challenges through socmed implies creating a strategy. Because these platforms are very fast-moving, you have to plan thoroughly for a successful campaign. One advantage of using social media in business is the two-way communication that is convenient, quick, and efficient. If you deliver your message the right way and deal with the messages quickly, then you’re set for success.
Try this simple guide to creating a social media strategy for you. It’s a step-by-step process that is easy to follow for small and big organizations:
- Get Buy-In. You need to invest time and resources even if you do not pay for being exposed. This means stakeholders need to know your exact social media plans
- Study the landscape. The second step is all about knowing the conversations that already exist, where they’re taking place, and other considerations.
- Analyze. Once you have gathered data about the landscape, interpret them based on your broader marketing and communication problems.
- Set objectives. What are the desired outcomes of your strategy? The answer must be based on how you plan to use your socmed. Remember that it has to be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timed.
- Create an action plan. What are the concrete and actionable steps you will take to attain the objectives?
- Implement. It’s time to execute your action plan. Stick to steps four and five while doing this while also being adaptable.
- Track, analyze, and optimize. Monitoring your progress is essential to see if the objectives are being met. Thankfully, social media allows you to track interactions of different kinds anytime.
Social Networking and Social Media in Business
Marketing has greatly changed ever since the rise of social media. Different online platforms allow one to create and share content while connecting with people and other organizations. This means it can be a fundamental aspect of an online marketing campaign aside from email marketing and more!
One good example is how newspapers also have online platforms now. Their content exists in print and on your screens. What makes social media better is the instant commentary they can get.
Social networking is defined as forming or strengthening online networks to build or enhance communities. Communities refer to those who have the same connections and interests. It’s simply all about different tools on the internet that connect and build relationships.
Some examples of helpful social media in business include:
- Google+
- Blogging sites
Social Media in Business Customer Service
One can use social media in business to solve problems with customer service and support. In fact, it serves as a channel for customer service especially now. Customers are starting to trust online transactions, so they expect businesses to have online customer service too. Someone can answer questions and resolve problems in online spaces the way they do on calls.
There is also evidence that many consumers prefer online customer service because they are more quickly resolved. Some brands even make online platforms only for the sake of giving customer service. There is collaboration in customer service with regard to social media in business. It is manifested in customers who assist one another in comments sections and other channels, reducing the reliance on the business itself.
Social Media in Communication and Outreach
Social media provides brands a convenient and effective way to communicate in real-time. This feature is unique in that they also provide real-time broadcast channels. Two-way communication has a lot to do with building social communities. Consumers can talk to one another for feedback. Consumers can talk to brands. It also goes the other way around. Brands also use this to reach out to their market as a public communication tool.
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Even governments use Facebook and Twitter to disseminate information more quickly and effectively. Interested parties will then stay informed in real-time.
Social Media in Business Insights and Research
Information has to be judged appropriately when using social media in business insights and research. When planning a campaign, always consider the context. Social media offers demographic and preferential data which can be used to understand your market.
You can even use other information that these individuals share! Mentions and sentiments can be tracked using ORM tools for insights. The size of your market can also be determined by social media. It’s so easy to do a Twitter search to know what users are talking about in terms of your brand.
Another way to use socimed in business is when you build a community. Doing so allows you to gather organic information and feedback, although they are usually biased!
Remember to treat data from social media correctly.
Community Management on Social Media
As previously mentioned, platforms on social media allow brands to build online communities that represent real-world networks. This is why social media makes it easier to maintain a community. As social media in business became more prominent, new roles such as community manager emerged. But they are vital even outside social networking sites!
Your organization has to participate in discussions about you and them. More importantly, you have to lead and guide the conversions to build and nurture the virtual community.
By community, we mean a group of fans or evangelists who have a big stake in the company. Creating a community means providing a space for them to interact with you in a direct manner. This online space is also one where you can send them messages and ask for feedback.
Community-building on social media does not happen right away. The initial step here is to know which platform you will use or create.
Advertising and Awareness on Social Media
Whether or not you’ve built a community, there should always be an audience. And because you have an audience, there must also be advertising. The social media platform that is most used is not the only thing to look for here. When advertising, check the demographic and psychographic opportunities of the platform.
Many platforms offer advertising features that are available for small and big budgets! It’s very flexible and dynamic, so anyone can experiment with different layouts and models.
© Image credits to Sharon McCutcheon
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