Are you looking to up your business’s social media game? Or maybe you've made some missteps in the past and want to avoid them in the future. In this blog post, we'll cover some essential social media do's and don'ts to help you make the most of your online presence. So, grab a cup of coffee and let's dive in!
Do
Do create a social media strategy: Set clear goals, identify your target audience, choose the right platforms, and create a content plan that aligns with your brand's values and messaging. A well-thought-out strategy helps you stay on track and measure your success. This is a huge benefit if you are hiring out your social media or want to prepare for the possibility of different staff members handling your accounts. Maintain consistency across all future transitions by thinking through these questions now. And if things do go off the rails, you'll have something to refer back to.
Do engage with your audience: Social media is meant to be a two-way conversation. Respond to comments, messages, and mentions in a timely and personalized way. Show your followers that you value their feedback and opinions by acting on their advice. If you make a mistake, be willing to humble yourself, accept feedback, and own up to it publicly. You can also use social listening to keep an eye on what people are saying about your brand. Go out right now and set a Google alert for your brand. We'll wait.
Do incorporate video into your content: You’ve heard it before, but thanks to changing algorithms, video really is the ruler of social media. According to HubSpot, videos generate 1,200% more shares than text and image content combined. Additionally, studies show that viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text. Try not to be intimidated! It's a lot easier to get started with video than you think. For example, when you post a video to Instagram Stories, it will disappear within 24 hours. Your followers aren't expecting anything fancy! If 24 hours seems too long for a just-good-enough video to stay on your feed, try going live! Once the video ends, it ends, and your followers will love getting to know the people behind the account. Go live to announce a launch or a sale, do a tour of your space, show what you're doing at work, or do anything else that aligns with your brand voice and values.
Do use visuals: If video isn’t in the cards, there’s still lots you can do to drive engagement through visual content. Use high-quality images and graphics to make your social media posts more eye-catching and memorable. Even on Twitter, data supports the use of images in every post. (Source: HubSpot)
Do track your metrics: Remember the social media strategy we recommended in #1? Once you have a benchmark and goals for your social presence, you can use analytics tools to track your social media performance. Monitor your engagement rates, website traffic, and other key metrics to see what's working and what's not. Use these insights to refine your strategy and improve your results. Strategies are meant to change and be responsive over time! (Source: Social Media Examiner)
Don't
Now that you’ve heard the do’s, we’ve got five social media don’ts for businesses to keep in mind.
Don't ignore negative feedback: Imagine you’ve had a negative experience with a business. You take the time to write a comment or send them a message on social media detailing the issue you encountered and . . . they never respond. Ignoring negative comments or reviews can damage your brand's reputation. Respond promptly and professionally. Try to resolve the issue to the customer's satisfaction. That said, you shouldn't be afraid to block or restrict individual accounts for abusive behaviour. You can preemptively manage your Facebook page, for example, and set it to censor specific words through their profanity filter. (Source: Forbes)
Don't be too promotional: Contrary to popular belief, social media is not just for advertising. In fact, we recommend the 1-in-7 rule when planning your content. That means only one sale/promotional post per seven posts! Constantly pushing your products or services on followers can cause fatigue. Instead, focus on creating valuable content that informs, entertains, or educates your audience. Ultimately, social media is always about relationship building, and evolving social algorithms support that strategy best. (Source: Pivotal Digital)
Don't neglect any social media platforms: Having one actively managed account will always be better for your brand than having multiple inactive accounts. That said, while it's important to focus on the platforms that are most relevant to your business, don't ignore your other platforms. Keep an eye on emerging trends and platforms that may be worth exploring. That doesn't mean you need to jump on TikTok, but you could incorporate more videos into your Instagram, for example. Already have an inactive account? Consider deleting it, or check out these strategies to revive it. (Source: Image Works)
Don't use automation to replace human interaction: While automation tools can save time, they shouldn't replace human interaction entirely. Avoid using bots to respond to customer inquiries or comments, as this can come across as impersonal and insincere. Human beings are becoming quite adept at distinguishing a robotic voice from a human one, and they would rather speak to a person! In the same vein, although AI tools like ChatGPT can help you come up with ideas for social media content, make sure you give anything written by AI a human touch. (Source: Sprout Social)
Don't forget about mobile users: With more than half of social media users accessing platforms via mobile devices, it's important to optimize your content for mobile viewing. Make sure your images and videos are mobile-friendly and keep your text concise, making it easier to read on smaller screens. For example, utilizing vertical images and videos on Instagram means it takes longer for the user to scroll past your content; a simple hack to grab their engagement! (Source: Woobox)
Now that you’re armed with a few extra tips, consider reaching out to Scriptorium for help with social media set-up or management. We use a detailed intake survey to help us understand your business and a high-level strategy to guide the development of content. Depending on your choice of options for content management, we'll proceed to develop content and templates to set you up for success!
We believe that each of our writers brings an important set of skills that work together to make us a diverse and capable team. We love what we do and bring a creative problem-solving approach to all our projects. We can help you find the right approach to your social media. Contact us to book one of our team members to get started on your social media strategy.