Tag Archives: social listening

Social Media

Why You Shouldn’t Have an Intern Run Your Company’s Social Media

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Whether you are a small business or startup, funds may be tight at the beginning. Once business plans are complete, the website is being built, and everything seems to be in order, you may be looking at your next steps.

When it comes to social media marketing, many believe hiring an intern, or millennial who “knows” social media, may be the most cost-effective way for the company to get online. In this digital day and age when everyone’s eyes are glued to their phones and WiFi is a basic necessity, it’s only expected to have a Facebook page.

It’s only posting on Facebook every-so-often, right? Wrong. Between algorithms, audiences, PPC, research, and much more, the job of a social media marketer is not “just posting”. In addition, those posting on social media are essentially “the voice” of your company. While interns may know the basics, how to post on their personal social media, or took a college class, the depth of what should be learned and implemented in an ever-changing field requires knowledge beyond “basic” skills.

For instance, posting on a Facebook business page vs. posting on a Facebook personal page is different in itself. Facebook has created a “pay-to=play” game and organic growth is more hands-on and research-intensive. The focus of building relationships and a community around your company or brand through engagement is what will take you to the next level.

This is just with Facebook mentioned. Keep in mind that there are other social media platforms that require social listening to find your audience, and their own set of rules and guidelines to know. It is not a basic, templated project for every brand – it must be customized to the product, voice, and audience.

The social media marketer must have a variety of attributes and skills, such as a business-sense, personality, research skills, willingness to learn (not only about social media, but the company), dedication, creativity, ability to analyze, brand awareness, relationship and community building, customer service skills, ability to think on the spot, and common sense. This is not saying an intern lacks these qualities, but their knowledge may be limited when it comes down to it.

All in all, social media conveys the brand’s voice, so ultimately is your online representative and customer service. In that aspect, relying on an individual because they are low-cost, (legally, an unpaid intern cannot have the same duties as a paid employee/position) is an option that you will need to weigh out as a company, however, in anything in life, you get what you pay for.

 

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

Why Are Building Relationships Important On Social Media?

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Building relationships. As in real life, building relationships online is a part of social media (hence, the social part). It may seem intimidating to beginners, as they try to push selling without adding the social part to it. So how can you build a relationship online without acting like you are spamming?

Twitter is an amazing tool – like a real-life chat platform. Flashback to the AOL days where you sat behind your computer screen to talk to strangers (a/s/l anyone?). Through those chats, you were able to connect with people, talk and listen, and slowly build relationships. That is the main idea. We aren’t talking Tinder relationships, but business professional/working relationships.

Do not think that nobody wants to talk to you. Unless you have a profile that states you sell likes and followers, you should be fine. Invest time in your connections and follow like-minded people. Be authentic. Be real. Be approachable. Don’t just talk about yourself. You aren’t going to enter a party and shout that you have a special on your product, so why do it online?

There are so many things you can do to build a relationship! Be involved in Twitter chats – don’t be intimidated. You will learn more things than you could imagine while building connections.

Think of it as real life. Listen to others and they will do the same to you. Respond to others and connect. Be consistent and patient, but most importantly, don’t give up. You never know if your next tweet could be that connector in building the perfect relationship.

Why are relationships so important on social media? Having a group to support your personal or professional brand is like having a group of cheerleaders surrounding you. They all want you to succeed. Referrals and sales may follow, however your learning experiences from them are invaluable.

How do you build relationships online?

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

Social MEdia or Social YOUdia?

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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

Why Is Listening Important on Social Media?

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Listening is incredibly important in social media, no matter the platform. You want to find out what your consumers are talking about, what they want to hear, and who you should direct your marketing to. Listening leads to relationship building and whether you are building your personal brand or company brand, relationships are key.

So, how can I actively listen? You can use tools, such as Sprout Social or Hootsuite to monitor who is talking about what, in terms to your brand. You can track hashtags through TweetDeck or a multitude of social listening tools, and join in the conversation. Ask questions, participate, and bring recognition to the brand! The more that you build that relationship, the more they will remember you.

How do I turn brand haters into evangelists? I recently discussed this topic in a Twitter chat. What do they hate about the brand? What are their complaints? Acknowledge them. Use LAST – Listen, acknowledge, solve, and thank. Do not ignore the comments, instead use psychology to determine what it is that they want out of it and what would get them to turn around their thinking. Sometimes actively responding and solving will allow them to respect the brand and change their mind.

Getting the consumers involved helps with relationship building, as well as building their trust. This, in term, helps with word of mouth. Using contests on social media is a great way to get user-generated content. Whether it’s for a free t-shirt or sticker, or just a pat on the back, people love to be involved. In the restaurant industry, I worked as a marketing manager for a large chain. We encouraged guests to take photos inside the restaurant and post them to the Facebook page. We then randomly selected one to receive a dinner and a movie pass for two, plus a signed hockey jersey. All who participated received a free dessert with purchase of an entree. The outcome? Over the course of the contest, our traffic increased, on social media as well as in store. Social media also increased in likes and followers, as well as engagement.

Overall, listening in social media is very important. Not only does it help build the brand, but it helps build the individual, relationship, and trust. It allows others to know that you are real and not a robot. Lastly, it will allow you to help distinguish yourself and stand out among your competitors.

What social media tools do you use to listen to your audience?

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.