Social media marketing is evolving rapidly. And, if you want to keep up, you need to change with the times. From new automated systems to tighter connections between influences and brands, there is “flattening” of the social media landscape. You need to keep up, but how can you with so many changes happening so fast? That’s why we have put together 10 social media best practices to follow in 2019.
1. Keep Your Message Focused For Best Social Media Results
Trying to be everything to everyone rarely works out well in life. And, the world of social media is no different. A focused message, well delivered, is far more likely to succeed than a “shotgun” approach of throwing out all sorts of ideas in all directions.
As an example, you are promoting a hotel in the Caribbean. They want to be seen as high-end but affordable. You can focus on their idyllic beach location and many events they host. Once you are attracted a following with this approach, you can weave in information about an elegant, but an affordable hotel.
2. When You Post On Social Media, Pay Attention To The Answers
There really is a reason that they call it “social” media. The expectation is that when a person asks a question on social media, someone is paying attention and will answer. The point of using this way to market is to engage your customers and be seen to be doing it!
Many times, an answer posted to a social media question is a more effective sales tool than ten times as much text buried in your published content. And, these sorts of social media best practices provide good customer service and not just advertising. You will build customer rapport that will routinely result in repeat sales.
3. Top Of List Of Social Media Best Practices: Audience Engagement
People use social media to communicate. Because you are a business and not their best buddy, they won’t demand an immediate response. But, they will not appreciate a long and deafening silence either. When you have a social media presence, you need to make time and take time to be available to check messages, respond as appropriate, and engage your followers.
And, remember that you don’t have to wait for a direct question to enter the conversation. Maybe someone is posting photos, mentioning you in social media, or just mentioning your hashtag. That is a great time to enter the conversation with something interesting of your own. Of all the social media best practices for 2019, put this one at the top of your list.
4. Use Video To Multiply Your Social Media Influence
The one addition that can make the biggest difference is video. You don’t need to be an expert these days to make a decent video. Use words and images in motion to tell a story and gain the attention of folks who would otherwise pass you by.
5. Spam Is Always A Bad Idea
Inappropriate and/or irrelevant content (spam) offends more social media users than you might imagine. If you really want to torpedo all of your previous good efforts, start spamming. Your followers will unsubscribe from messages, block you, and unfollow in droves. Never start sending emails to any of your followers unless they sign up.
6. Match Your “Voice” To Your Goals And The Core Values Of Your Business
The tone of your message, your voice, will be totally different if you are offering legal services for folks considering divorce than if you are selling lingerie. You not only need to make sure that your message is appropriate to your products and services but also that your “voice” or your tone and choice of words matches who you are and what you believe in.
Social media brings us closer to our customers, and folks are really good at spotting a fake. Social media best practices are these. Be real. Be honest. And, be who you are. You will be rewarded by success in your social media marketing efforts.
7. Don’t Be The Social Media Thought Police
Not everyone will like your social media pages. Not everyone will be totally happy with your products and services. If and when you have a negative comment left by someone, give it a bit of thought before deleting. And, give it a lot more thought before you imitate this behavior on some other site.
People who use social media value the freedom that it offers and get really ticked off when they see someone using police state tactics to shut them up. The better approach is to tactfully engage this person. You don’t need to put up with outright lies, but you can acknowledge their point of view.
Then, you can make your case for your point of view. Because you know what you do and how well you do it, use your superior knowledge to overwhelm any nasty comments. Make your case, and keep posting information. You can also win by simply diluting every one of their comments with ten of your own!
8. Don’t Be Afraid To Use Ads On Social Media
This is just one of the areas where social media best practices are changing. It was not that long ago that you only saw organic content posted on social media sites. You certainly need to continue this and follow best practices in that regard. But, ads are not only acceptable these days, but they are also used to promote some of the biggest and most popular brands.
9. Focus On What Your Customers Are Interested In
There are two issues here. One is to avoid getting wrapped up in yourself when posting social media content. The other is get inside the minds of your customers and post things that they are interested in.
There is a real value to personal anecdotes, interesting stories, and the like. But, people are probably visiting your business social media site to see what bargains you are promoting! Don’t disappoint them! You can tell which of your social media posts get the most attention. Knowing that will give you clues as to what to post next.
A corollary to this thought is to be active on social media when they are. Most folks are busy for most of the day and only use social media in their evening hours, on their days off, or when there is a gap in their routine. Keep track of when folks respond to your posts. The best time to engage your customers is when they are already on social media and engaged themselves.
10. Standard Marketing Strategies And Procedures Still Apply
Social media best practices still include measuring how well you are doing and making necessary changes accordingly. The first task is making sure you are clear about what your goal is in marketing on social media. Is it simply to increase brand awareness? Is it to act as a sales funnel driving traffic to your website? Then decide on which key performance indicators you want to track. The more diligent you are about tracking your “KPIs,” the more quickly you can capitalize on opportunities and fix mistakes in your social media marketing.
The other standard practice that is too often overlooked when we become “chatty” on social media is the call to action (CTA). It’s great that folks are following you on social media but you need to prod them from time to time to watch a video, read a blog on your website, or simply go to your online store and buy something.
Social Media Best Practices For 2019 And Always
Perhaps the best insight that you can take away from our list of social media best practices for 2019 is that every one of these practices is always a good idea.
The area where you put the most effort may change from time to time and year to year. But, focused messages that are properly targeted at your customers are always basic to social media marketing success. Spam is never good, and arguing with your followers or getting nasty are never good ideas. And tracking your results is paramount. And none of the social media best practices stands alone. You need to integrate them for best results.
The bottom line is that when you follow social media best practices, your results are better, and the job is easier too.
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