Nine tips to becoming social-media savvy

It’s safe to say that many of the people who disdain Twitter, Facebook, and other social media do so largely because they don’t understand how to make the most of them. Software company Vocus has created a white paper, “The Dos and Don’ts of Creating an Effective Social Media Strategy”, that can help you avoid some common errors and reap the full potential of the media.

* Look before you leap. The sort of messages you post on Twitter may not be appropriate for LinkedIn, to name just two of the more popular online networks. In fact, those networks may not be appropriate for your business and your goals. Before you start socialising, monitor a variety of social-media platforms “for discussions on both your company and the competition to determine the value of the platform and the discussion as well as to help you understand what is impacting your brand,” Vocus advises. “Look for the platforms that your customers, prospects, and the industry influencers are using. If you find your brand or industry discussions are focused on one or two platforms, you can concentrate your efforts.”

* Determine who will represent your company on the social-media platforms. Many companies used to allow just about any and all of their employees to communicate with customers, suppliers, and other outsiders via email. Too often, the result was awkward, barely literate, at times confusing correspondence that diluted the brand message and the company’s image. For the same reason that many businesses delegate only specially trained and equipped employees to communicate with outsiders via email, you should enable only qualified employees to engage with customers and prospects via social media. Don’t just hand them a password and a computer; train them to spread the word about your business so that your message and your brand are not weakened.

* Communicate your strategy and policies to your employees. If you don’t want anyone other than the selected staffers to post messages on your Facebook page, let all of them know. If you want employees to refrain from posting comments on industry-specific forums, let them know that too.

* Prioritise. It’s impossible to track and participate in every online forum, networking site, and other form of social media. “Not all online conversations carry the same weight,” Vocus notes. “The trick is to understand what does and does not matter. While a discussion on the latest product release or customer feedback may be worth engaging in, other discussions may be trivial and will not require your participation.”

* Don’t just sell; contribute. Yes, we know your primary goal in participating in social media is to increase revenue and profits. But if you view this channel simply as another arena to push your wares, you’re likely to alienate potential and existing customers who don’t view social media in the same way. “Participation means going beyond promotions,” advises Vocus. “Share third-party resources with your followers, fans, and social-media network. Offer them interesting articles and opportunities that will help them better understand the industry and see the value you can provide… The more valuable your content, the more audience will grow.”

* Commit to consistency. So many social networkers go great guns in the beginning, posting a dozen times a day, only to burn out and end up posting only once a day, then once a week… and then they wonder why they don’t receive much interaction from their audience. “Staying involved with your network is the only way to really leverage the platform.”

* When it comes to followers, focus on quality rather than quantity. On Twitter in particular there’s been an increase in people claiming they can get you hundreds or thousands of followers for a small fee. Why would you want to buy followers? If they have to be corralled into following you, they’re not prime prospects for your business.

* Promote your participation. While you shouldn’t have to buy fans and followers, you do have to let prospective ones know how and where they can network with you. Post links to your networking pages on your website; include the URLs on the signatures of all outbound emails; refer to them in the pages of your print catalogues.

* Evaluate the impact. What would an article on marketing be without mentioning the importance of tracking and measuring the results? Are more participants in social networks talking about your brand now that you’re engaging with them? Are the conversations positive, negative, or neutral? Which media are most effective? “Use criteria that matter to your company to determine that impact—whether it’s the number of sales opportunities uncovered, leads generated, or attendees at an event,” Vocus suggests.