The number of recommended actions and suggested tasks that social media managers must engage in can seem downright overwhelming.
Not only are you supposed to update dozens of different profiles every day.
You have to connect with potential new followers and monitor your company’s branded keywords to manage any negative mentions you encounter. And more.
So we’ve put together 5 ways you can get started today. We know there is a lot to this whole social media thing, but try to keep it simple and manageable.
1 – Check the Pulse of Your Social Accounts
For your social media campaign to be successful, the first thing you should do is audit all of your social media profiles.
Believe it or not, some companies just set up social media accounts and leave them dormant for a couple of months or even years at a time!
Understanding where and how you are currently showing up on social media, will give you a great foundation as to how you can ensure you are building for long-term success.
2 – Respond to Your Audience
While these interactions may be good or bad (as in the case of negative reviews), you must respond to them out of respect for the initiative these followers have shown. Be kind, choose your words wisely.
3 – Post Stimulating Content
Take a few moments to post a status update or message that’s designed to encourage interaction among your followers.
For example, you could:
- Ask a provocative question
- Share an interesting blog article
- Comment on a recent news item
- Post an inspirational picture or quote
- Request follower feedback on the specific products or services you offer
Pairing your stimulating content with a statement such as, “Let me know what you think” or “Share your thoughts in the comments” can prompt the type of action to make your social profiles appear more welcoming and engaging to potential new followers.
4 – Seek out New Followers
You’ll want to be a little more proactive when it comes to building up a follower base for your business. One way to do this on Twitter is to seek out the profiles of authority figures within your industry.
Then, follow people who are following them, and whose profiles indicate that they’d be interested in your company as well.
A number of these people will most likely follow you back automatically, increasing the size of your follower base.
Attracting new followers on permission-based websites like Facebook can be more challenging, but the same principles apply.
Seek out those who have demonstrated an interest in your industry and the authority figures you follow, make your introductions through direct message and see what happens.
5 – Search for your Company’s Branded Terms
One final daily habit is to conduct a quick search for any of your company’s branded phrases, including any common misspellings or abbreviations you’re aware of.
Specifically, what you’re looking for are instances where users you aren’t immediately connected with are mentioning your company’s name.
These mentions could be left as unsolicited reviews or questions seeking clarification.
Either way, proactively seeking them out enables you to connect with potential followers and create the impression of an engaged, customer-centric brand.
So what tips are you using to continue to engage and grow your social media? We’d love to hear.