February | 2015 | Social Media Facelift, LLC

Do you converse with or talk at your audience? Do you post just to hear yourself talk or to generate a conversation? Knowing the proper way to engage with others is crucial in social media. This one of the basic steps in Social Media 101.

A common misconception about social media is that if you continue to put yourself out there, you will go viral right away. The truth is, social media takes patience, persistence, and knowledge. Sure, some people may get lucky and go viral with a certain tweet or video, however chances are slim. Most of the time you have to put in work to see a return – and that means listening and engaging your audience.

Another mistake is to make social media a “one man show”. Without that genuine interaction and engagement with your audience, it will become more difficult for you to reach others. You can relate it to real life – no one wants to go to a cocktail party to meet someone who constantly talks about themselves. Finding your target audience, listening to what they are talking about, and engaging in conversation will put you a step ahead.

Think of it as a friendship, and use the capabilities of liking, sharing, retweeting, etc. to show your appreciation to your followers and audience. In time, they will reciprocate. Be valuable and share what your audience wants to hear. Hint: this will also assist you in content curation and topics.

As a general rule, your engagement should consist of the 80/20 rule – 80% of content that interests the audience, shares, retweets, and so on, while 20% is content to promote your brand. In that case, you will not become an online sales pitch. Instead, you will become intriguing, others will want to learn more, and they will be more inclined to read your blogs or information you post.

On top of that, have consistency and human. Not many people want to have a robot as a friend. Be yourself or be that personable voice behind a brand. The more connections you can build with your audience relates to the strong relationships that may form. Don’t make it social MEdia, but rather social YOUdia.

Do you practice social MEdia or social YOUdia?

Social Media Facelift, LLC provides social media account setup & management, consulting & strategy, content creation, education & training, and insights & analysis for businesses, large or small. Social Media Facelift, LLC wants to take your business to the next level by integrating social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Google +, YouTube, and more to help establish your business and connections.

Contact Social Media Facelift, LLC today for a social media consultation at (480) 231-5582 or socialmediafacelift@gmail.com.

Social media is not just simply posting a status on Facebook or Twitter now and then – it’s about consistency, engagement, authenticity, and listening to your audience. Unlike traditional marketing, social media marketing can change overnight. There is a desire to be “in the know”, and is not always doable when you are trying to run your own business. Social media is not going anywhere, so you need to ask yourself, can I afford to not have a social media presence? If not, you may have to hire a social media manager.

To hire in a social media manager, look for a few different traits and ask yourself, are they knowledgeable? Are they focused? Do they have the willpower to continue to learn? Are they consistent? Are they authentic? Are they committed? Are they loyal? These are traits that you want your brand to show off. You should ponder these questions while interviewing and getting to know the potential candidate to reflect the person that would be the voice behind your brand.

There are skills that can be learned and skills that are natural. Determine what can be taught and what cannot be. The skill-set and knowledge of social media is important. They must have the initiative to lead a company with a knowledgeable social media marketing plan and execute it confidently.

How do you know how to hire if you don’t know anything about social media marketing? Learn! Do some research, read blog articles, and know the position you are hiring for. No one expects you to become an influencer within a week, however with the base knowledge you will be able to relate more to the potential social media manager.

Do your homework upon hiring to prepare yourself and to distinguish your top candidates. Research candidates’ prior work and get to know their personality. Check their current social media, blogs, references, and Internet presence to get to know how they represent the one person that means a lot to them – themselves. Focus on if they will be a good fit for your company, as well as if you will be a good fit for them. These factors should determine their ethics, communication style, and authenticity.

Hiring smart leads to smart decisions within your company. You know your business the best – hire the best and great results will follow. All in all, hire your voice and the voice of the brand.

What personality traits do you commonly look for during the hiring process?

Contact Social Media Facelift, LLC today for a social media consultation at (480) 231-5582 or socialmediafacelift@gmail.com.

Social Media Management & Consulting for Businesses