Whether you like it or perhaps even think that it is a passing fad, the business reality is such that you simply must be online in order to truly exist. There are some very rare exceptions where a small to medium business might operate without an online presence, but it is far more likely that you will want to have access to all of the people who are going online to look for various services and products.
These days, however, simply being present online is not enough. Everyone is online. You need more. You need to be noticed; you need to have people talking about you; you need your name and your brand to become imprinted on people who are looking for something in your particular industry. One of the best ways to do this is to start using social media smartly and making various social networks places where your brand is noticeable and seen as positive.
Don’t be afraid to go hard
Social media is quite particular in the way it distributes content and makes it stick around. Quite often, various announcements (statuses on Facebook, Tweets, etc.) go unnoticed and if they go unnoticed for a few hours, it is very likely that they will get buried under an avalanche of content your target is exposed to. What this means is that you need to do it again and again and again. Of course, we are not saying that you should spam; but do not be afraid to put out the same stuff multiple times.
Emphasize the brand – not the products
Everyone can tweet that they are offering a 20% off deal on their flagship product on Twitter. It is the same as going outside your shop and screaming that you are offering 20% off. That is not how you use social media to promote your business. You go with your brand; your philosophy and your idea of what customers/clients can get from you. We live in the age of participation – act accordingly.
Social media is the perfect way to show people what your brand is about. For instance, you can emphasize the fact that you work with recycled materials and that you are concerned about the environment by sharing content that speaks of this. You can show people that your employees are happy and that you treat your customers right.
Use everything at your disposal
Using a single social media platform will simply not do it these days. Of course, you will be emphasizing your presence on a certain platform depending on your industry and business; but you will want to be present everywhere and use them all. No matter how you classify it, we are talking campaigns that will be interconnected; that will continue on one another; that will attract more and more people with every step.
This is the perfect scenario when we are talking campaigns. More often, these will be smaller campaigns and efforts, but they will still need to work in line with your overarching brand strategy and customer interaction. You always need to keep the big picture in mind.
About the Author
Olivia Still
This article has been written by Olivia Still who is a blogger and tech freak. Loves to travel and gain new experience while meeting interesting new people. She can be followed at Google+.