Top Tip: 5 Golden Rules of Social Media
A huge number of people contact companies through social media for a whole host of reasons. A high proportion want to find out a bit more about your business or even get a quote, some want to tell you they like what they see and you’ve done a good job, and others want to vent their frustrations if something hasn’t gone according to their plan.
With digital advertising you can actively reach potential customers through avenues like facebook and twitter, grow your fan base and direct them to your website, ultimately using your accounts to generate leads. Which is what we all want right?
Creating social media accounts doesn’t have to be a case of ticking a box. If you give them a bit of time and attention they can serve you well, and end up being a creative way of interacting with potential and existing customers.
Keep it up to date and share frequently (but not too frequently, everyone hates the annoying person posting every hour)
Think about what is appropriate for your audience, you can have an informal tone but keep it consistent and professional. (Give them information they can use or appreciate versus things that might get you into trouble. ‘Banter’ can be interpreted in a lot of ways!)
Experiment with different media – link to articles, share pictures, share videos. Variety is the spice of life. (A quick status or tweet with no images will probably be ignored, if you’re proud of a job then post some pictures of it, it’s what the people want.)
Respond as quickly as possible to inquiries. Set up notifications for new comments or set up an automatic message letting people know you’ll get back to them asap. (People who contact you through social media generally expect a quick response. Remember they are as valid a lead as one by phone or by web).
Deal with complaints in a polite manner, and show that you are trying to offer a solution. Try to take the conversation offline if you can (because there is nothing worse than seeing a company get into a comment war!) It’s important for other visitors to see that you acknowledge and act on any problems that arise (even if you disagree with the complaint)
Social media is a constantly evolving, many headed beast but these golden rules never change. This is a top tip a little outside of our usual, so we hope you find it useful. As ever, feedback is always appreciated.
