Social Media: Are you doing it right?

As the online world continues to dominate the business world, more and more businesses are turning to the benefits of social media as an effective marketing strategy. But there’s more to social media than just setting up a Facebook page and expecting the customers to come rolling in – here are a few tips on how you can use social media to really get your business off the ground and engage with your audience.

Make a clear goal

Before you even log on to Twitter, you have to consider – what do I want to get out of this? Do I want to establish my brand or attract 10,000 web hits in 30 seconds? You may want to consider establishing a good brand image before you go publicising it, so make sure you have checked your website domains, logo designs and brand name before you go global.

Be concise

So you’ve taken the first step and set up a Twitter page – congratulations! But are you bogging your customers down in overcomplicated jargon? There’s a reason why Twitter limits its posts to 140 characters – customers need sharp, clear, concise messages that they can skim read within seconds. This applies to Twitter bios too. For example, if you’re a graphic design agency, rather than writing ‘we are a graphic design agency specialising in digital imagery, branding, magazines and website design’, consider writing your core skills, e.g. ‘Imagery. Branding. Magazines. Web design.’ Follow this up with a contact email and you’re good to go.

Access all platforms

It’s all very well setting up a blog that with pictures, videos and all but if that can’t be seen on a mobile screen, you may as well go back to the drawing board. As you begin to design your website, test it out on tablets and mobiles – this is particularly helpful for interactive gaming websites like online casinos, whose mobile slots have to be accessible at the touch of a button rather than a clunky laptop keyboard.

Interact with others

You may have the best social media page in the world but if you’re not engaging with others then you’re not making your brand easily accessible. So, make sure you are being as open with other businesses as you want them to be with you – this includes liking other businesses on Facebook, be they prospective clients or even competitors, and following other Twitter users who you think may be beneficial to your business. Don’t be scared to get involved in any debates either – by using the hashtag, you can involve yourself in Twitter conversations and make others aware of your business, increasing your Twitter following in minutes.

Marketme

Marketme is a leading small business to small business news, marketing advice and product review website. Supporting business across the UK with sponsored article submissions and promotions to a community of over 50,000 on Twitter.