It’s safe to say that social media has taken off exponentially in the last five to ten years and if the new age has taught us anything, there are definitely no limits to what you can do! Instagram and Facebook are two of the most popular social sharing platforms allowing individuals and businesses to disseminate opinions, news, pictures and media.
These self-promotion tools are used for the same basic goal of encouraging the wider public to respond favourably to our ‘personal’ or ‘business’ brand. For businesses, these new platforms can be used for informally communicating on a personal level and building relationships with current and prospective customers.
Facebook and Instagram users also have a presence on these social media channels to follow their favourite personalities, influencers and brands and it’s a great way to keep up to date with the latest trends and news. The more active your social media presence, the more follower/likes you can accumulate which can provide you a better opportunity to push your brand and gain exposure. Lets face it, businesses who do not have a social media presence run the risk of being forgotten or ignored in today’s society.
When building your social media presence as a business, it is first important to consider how you want your visual identity to be portrayed and what your customers’ motivations are to participate in social media, as these can generally be classified as hedonistic or functional. It is vital you understand your target market’s motivation in this way so your business can provide relevant information/content that is appropriate to the hedonistic or functional needs of the user. Take for example, a travel company utilising the social media platform, Instagram. The travel company is definitely going to post photos of adventure and desirable destinations to appeal to the hedonistic needs of its customers.
Sometimes your social media efforts can feel like a bit of an afterthought, especially if you’re a small business with no dedicated role for social media or have little discretionary time.
Here are a few tips below to assist you with getting the most out of your social media efforts:
- Create a strategy for your Instagram, Facebook and other social media channels you are using. Make sure your social media goals link back to those of your business.
- Plan and use a social media content schedule. This will make it easier in the long run and will eliminate the last minute rush.
- All content should be cohesive and portray the same message.
- Give your social media personality, you want customers and prospective customers to be interested and be able to relate to your brand in some way.
- Take risks, be brave and creative. Individuals tend to like content that is unique and innovative.
- Increase your website traffic through social media. In your social media posts, direct customers to your website.
- Consider if influencer marketing is an option for your marketing strategy.