Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest… along with others make up the vast social networks available and emerging on the Internet. With all of the clutter, it’s easy for an organization’s message to be lost in the crowd. To help you interact with your social audience more effectively, I have provided 10 tips on social campaign management and posting quality content.
1. Not every network is essential for every campaign. A new network does not always warrant a presence. Social networks come and go. Consider using the most widely ones by your target market. With that in mind, what led you to decide to use the respective network? In what ways does your presence add value to your organization, campaign or overall marketing strategy?
2. Not always about the numbers. Likes, fans and followers cannot solely measure a social media campaign’s success. How engaged are individuals and likely are they to engage with your brand? You can have 100 people in the room but if you can’t get anyone to stand up, what’s the point? Might be best to reevaluate the people in the room and/or what ways you interact with them.
3. Begin with the end in mind. Knowing where you want to go, how you want to get there and whom you want to meet along the way are key factors. By forward thinking of what goals and expected outcomes of your social strategy, you can focus more on how to make it a reality.
4. KISS (Keep is Short and Simple) Twitter messages are limited to 140 characters. While Facebook has an astounding limit of 50,000 characters, it’s highly doubtful someone would read a post of such length. Keep in mind the KISS principle when drafting social content. A suggestion would be to jot down everything you want to say and continuously revise it each time using less words and characters.
5. Invite input from your target market. If you represent a community or segment of one, it’s not a bad idea to invite them to the table. Their input about your campaign can aid in its effectiveness and possibly turn them into social evangelists. Creating a social media team of volunteers gives you the ability to amplify your message and assist you in your efforts.
6. Tailor messaging for each network. The character counts are not the only thing that differentiates social networks. For example, Twitter mentions handles and Facebook tags profiles and pages. So, by crafting copy specific to the network you are leveraging your presence and playing by the network’s rules.
7. Diversify your content/posts. Mix your posts and updates with text, links and photos. Doing so gives a holistic perspective of your social presence and provides a variety in content.
8. Establish and maintain brand tone and voice. Once you have established your brand tone and voice, remain consistent in its use. Everyone who posts from your organization must share the same social media vision and voice.
9. You own your website. As a result, you have ultimate and total control of its contents. By utilizing social networks, you are confined to the rules and guidelines set forth by the network. Updates should refer individuals back to your website for more information related to the posts.
10. Social media is a window without a screen. Having a presence on social media says to users you are open and receptive to candid conversations about your brand. It’s best to not shield users of addressing their sentiment about you but respond appropriately. Consider creating a social media crisis action plan to deal with difficult situations and posting of community guidelines. Having clear rules set for social users to adhere to let’s them know what types of comments and discussions are acceptable or not.
What tips would you share?
Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest… along with others make up the vast social networks available and emerging on the Internet. With all of the clutter, it’s easy for an organization’s message to be lost in the crowd. To help you interact with your social audience more effectively, I have provided 10 tips on social campaign management and posting quality content.
1. Not every network is essential for every campaign. A new network does not always warrant a presence. Social networks come and go. Consider using the most widely ones by your target market. With that in mind, what led you to decide to use the respective network? In what ways does your presence add value to your organization, campaign or overall marketing strategy?
