Social media has become a large part of public relations, brand building, and advertising. Its influence has also revised approaches in other fields and industries as well. The conversation continues to change with the desires of social media users and designers. Here are some of our favorite tips and tricks to keep in mind for social media in 2016:
- Strategize
- Having a social media strategy is vital to the success of your social media marketing and outreach. Additionally, having a strategy in place can also help you avoid costly mistakes.
- Hear No Evil
- Rarer now than they used to be, social media skeptics are still out there—don’t listen to them. Whether business- or customer-facing, companies can benefit from a consistent and professional social media presence.
- Focus on Engagement
- While content will still draw new fans and followers, don’t forget to build relationships with existing followers. Share content. Reach out and start conversations, or just keep up with questions.
- Direct Traffic
- Social media is a great way to drive traffic to your website, blog, and other content. So don’t forget to link back.
- Carve Every Word
- Voice in social media is important. Maintain a consistent and authentic voice across all your social channels.
- Scheduling Saves Time
- Laying out a plan for posts can save time and headaches in the long run; you’ll know what you’re talking about when, which can also help direct other types of communication.
- Mix It Up
- If you are planning content, don’t be afraid to react to things happening in your industry, city, or beyond as well.
- Curate a Comprehensive Collection
- Linking to useful and informative sources in social media and online can help distinguish your brand and your site/channel as an industry thought leader. Bringing together information from multiple sources will help distinguish you among the experts.
- Avoid Social Blunders
- Research and get to know the channels in which you are participating to avoid embarrassing faux pas.
- Manners Cost Nothing
- Remember that politeness goes a long way, even online, especially when curating and sharing the content of others, which should always be properly sourced back to the original producer when possible.
- Capture Attention
- Posts with images receive more engagement than text-only posts. Just remember to keep it high-quality.
- Capture Imagination
- Creating original images and videos is a great way to increase engagement, interaction with, and sharing of your content.
- Heedful Hashtags
- Several channels use tagging, which connects your posts and content to potential fans. Keep your tags short and to the point, but limit yourself to 2-3 per post. Also, establishing your own hashtag can be a great tool for branding.
- Don’t Forget the Data
- Analytics are a useful resource. There are many options for gathering and collating visitation and interaction data. Find one that lets you see how people are using and responding to your social media and content.
- Turn the Numbers Into Actions
- Perhaps the most important part of gathering data is interpreting it and putting it into a plan of action. Use analytics to help guide changes and adjustments to your social media strategy and approach.
- Look Both Ways
- You are not alone out there. Check out the social media channels of competitors and brands in similar industries. See what they are doing right and wrong; learn from them, borrow from them, look for new ways to improve your approach by observing their examples.
