Social Media is one of those things in life that tend to appear complex because of it’s simplicity.
For many of us business owners who are used to over thinking everything, the very thought of letting go of that practice can be extremely frightening – so, it seems hard when we are challenged that way.
But hard it is not. In fact, to really utilize social media to it’s maximum effectiveness there are some very simple things that you can do. They are ‘simple’ things, but DOING them is usually a whole different matter. You will need to embrace the fact that perfection is unnecessary, relationships are what you are focused on and that it is up to you to show up consistently- OR decide to hire a good social media manager to guide you in doing these following things:
SIMPLE STEPS
Facebook Live – since it has now been launched worldwide, this is our #1 simple thing to do so that you can make the best out of social media for your business. It is a person to person platform that allows your followers to truly SEE you. This is what they really want. They want to see the person behind the business. And the great thing about this platform is that it needs very little strategy to use. In fact, the strategy is – DO IT. For some tips on HOW to use this platform click HERE.
Show Up – We say this all the time, but it needs to be repeated like a broken record until everyone gets it. Social Media is social. So, if you show up you are more likely to be seen. Building a strong and viable footprint online for your brand is simple with consistency. Show up, every day.
Have a strategy – work with a coach, or download some kind of calendar where you can spend a few hours coming up with a strategy for your daily posting. You want to always ask yourself before you post ANYTHING – Why? Why am I posting this, what is my reason, season or support? Which means, you need to know WHY you are sharing that cute meme, or what season you are celebrating, or which colleague or other business you are supporting with your posts. Follow the Rule of Thirds and set up a schedule that you can follow. This will save you LOTS of time, and it will build in a marketing strategy so that your social is working for you.
DO NOT PROMOTE! – We’ll say it again – Social Media is Social. Nobody wants to be sold to every day all day. So in order to build up your online community, you need to give value to your followers. Listen to what they like, what they want to hear about. The Rule of Thirds is the BEST way to be sure you are using social properly. 1/3 sharing random content ( memes, pics, quotes) 1/3 sharing others content ( blogs, information, supportive) 1/3 sharing your own content ( promotions, sales, events) – ONLY 1/3 of your content should be about you and your business. This surprises many, and is the biggest mistake businesses make on their social platforms. Building relationships is the #1 goal, the sales are a byproduct of that. KNOW what your priority goal is for social media and stick to it.
Choose your top 3 platforms for your audience – There is no need to be on EVERY platform. Know your audience, and then choose 3-4 platforms to build relationships on. If you have too many, you will lose your effectiveness by diluting your message, not posting enough because there are too many to keep track of, and neglecting some and focusing on others. Just stay ahead of that by choosing your top 3 and sticking with a consistent schedule.
Focus on REACH over LIKES – the reward in social media does not always go to the most popular person. It may seem that way, but many social platforms have incorporated algorithms into their news feeds that requires you to 
really focus on offering strong content to your viewers, but also in having viewers that really WANT to be there. 1500 likes on a FB page means nothing if your reach and engagement is not getting out there. Focus on providing valuable content, varied content and make yourself reachable through Facebook Live and other video platforms and ignore now many ‘likes’ you may or may not get. You will naturally start to get likes when you commit to providing quality content. So, don’t you dare post a pic of a cat that says ” If you think I’m cute, click like” – most social platforms are now working on eliminating the ‘click bait’ and rewarding pages and influencers when they consistently provide good content. It’s is quality over quantity in the world of social. Just like in real life – the more quality relationships you have over quantity, the better off you are.
Throw ROI out the window – really, stop asking your social media managers this. The ROI of social media is qualitative, not quantitative. Building up online communities is not about ROI, it’s about building up relationships – which, as a happy byproduct ALWAYS results in sales. But it is not a direct line, it is a wavy, easy Sunday drive. A friend of a friend of a follower may hear about your services because your follower LOVES your posts and shares them regularly. So, enough with this darn question. When you build friendships, you don’t think about what they will bring you in return – at least we hope not. Social Media is the same. Focus on building the relationships. Period.
Support Others – Please, please, please do NOT be one of those businesses that badmouth their competition, or never support others in their own field. Use the Community over Competition motto that we incorporate into all of our work and with our clients. BE supportive before you ASK for support. You will not do well in Social Media if you are always Me, Me, Me. Share the content of others who work in your field – come from a place of abundance. There is more than enough to share and go around – if you are petty and vindictive, you will end up alone. The same applies for business online. Support and encourage every opportunity you get.
We hope these tips support you in building up your Online Community around your brand. If you don’t have the time to do any of these, we strongly suggest hiring a social media manager. We’d be happy to help.
If you want to do these things, but are still confused about HOW to do them, hire a coach. We can help there too.
Most importantly – SHOW UP.
Social Media is mandatory for business now. If you do not utilize this new marketing tool, you will be left in the dust. It is the way of the future, and it is best to embrace it sooner rather than later.
Sign up for our FREE social media assessment to see how you are fairing. We’ll give you a summarized report on what we feel your strengths and weaknesses are in your online community!
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Leading a highly skilled Marketing and Revenue growth team, Kaare long works with some of the most powerful and innovative entrepreneurial-minded leaders, CEO's and successfully established businesses in Canada and the US. A creative, and critical thinking visionary who is led by over 20 years of experience using both intuitive leadership skills and business expertise based on extensive training and study in marketing, communications, sales, leadership, writing, public relations, relationship dynamics, human behavior, psychology, philosophy, arts and culture, and health and wellness.
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