Superman has kryptonite, werewolves have the silver bullet, baseball players have grand slams, and doctors have the cure-all. There are a lot of terms we use in our everyday language that convey the idea that something is the “end all, be all” of our existence; although, colloquially we usually use these terms in jest. “Argyle socks are my kryptonite.” Or, “If you could help me find my press-on nail that would be a real grand slam.”
In life we are often looking for these kinds of immediate solutions that will take care of all our problems at once. We joke about them because so rarely do such answers exist. However, in social media there are a few hints that, if executed correctly, can make all the difference – your “do or die” tips for successful social media interactions.
1. Representation on all levels of the web
The first tip for social media heroism is that you need to be visible everywhere. One person may love to read blogs, the next uses YouTube as his or her primary source of information gathering, and many others are Tweeting. So, unfortunately, having a Facebook page doesn’t, by definition, make you socially active. In order to be successful, you need to be seen.
For many people this idea can be overwhelming – too many assets, not enough time. And while it’s true that the number of social media assets you can be involved with grows almost daily, there are several core assets where the majority of your audience resides. These include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and your blog. It’s important that your marketing plan avoids the temptation to spread too thin. Instead, employ targeted marketing and focus on being strong and strategic on these core assets before moving on to others. However, as you are seen on these different levels of the web, your customer (or potential customer) will be able to find you, based on the type of interaction they want to have.
2. Consistency in branding and messaging
Once you are established on all of these assets, the next step is to make sure that you are offering up a uniform view of your company across the web. Too often an enthusiastic young employee enters the scene, and creates a new company Vine or Pinterest account. Although well intentioned, this employee is acting on his or her own, and manages the page according to his or her own personal preferences.
In order for the brand to be well represented the marketing director needs to know about all assets in the company’s name, and manage them by a consistent set of branding strategies and style guidelines. Logos, color schemes, campaign elements, and even the voice for the content should show uniformity across all assets. As customers move from one asset to the next they can seamlessly relate to and recognize your brand.
3. Follow through and interaction
Your third and final tip for social media world domination is to be a good friend to your online friends. Huh? Social media marketing experts will tell you that it’s all about sharing information and ideas, and interacting with real people instead of corporate robots. This means people want and expect to have two-way conversations with you. If you are present online, you need to be listening to your customers and responding to them when they want to talk.
Often times the reaction from people when a company responds to them personally is “Wow! I didn’t ever expect anyone to ‘hear’ me!” This gesture goes a long way in building relationships. Listening and responding on social media creates opportunities to resolve concerns, educate, and increase loyalty; all of which are proven to provide measurable results to your marketing plan, in addition to increased sales.
The wrap up
So that’s it! Simple as that, you can have the three secret weapons for social media success! Ok, the truth is, if you’re doing it right, this isn’t going to be easy. It’s a lot of work. But just as novelists have the “next big idea” and Super Bowl champions have touchdowns, this work brings success. And that is simple.