(Adapted from Entrepreneur magazine)
Did you know that 87% of small businesses claim that social media has helped their business? So, whether you’re a business owner or an employee with bottom line responsibilities, you’ll want to pay attention to how effective your social media is. In marketing, you can be too social or not social enough. Or, you can be on the wrong platforms, which is like showing up at the wrong party. Here are 3 warning signs that it’s time to adjust your social strategy.
Warning #1: You aren’t seeing any business results. First, what were the results you were seeking? Brand awareness? Industry leadership? Increasing sales or converting customers? You can’t achieve all of those things, so focus on one or two goals to start. Figure out your top priority and then address how using social media strategically can accomplish that goal.
Warning #2: You feel like you’re shouting into a void. It’s possible you are not using the appropriate social networks. If you’re a company with largely older customers, for example, what are you doing on Twitter? You don’t have to be present on every platform, so pick the ones where your stakeholders congregate. Check your website’s Google Analytics to see which networks are most robustly referring traffic. That’s where your audience is. Now go meet them there.
Warning #3: Your followers rarely “like,” share or comment.Are your social posts too self-promotional vs. informational? Take a look at MailChimp’s social media. The company sells email services, but its content focuses on making email less complicated for us all. Think about how your products or services help people and the larger context in which your company operates. That’s what your customers want from you — and if you deliver, they’ll like it (and share and comment).
