In 2012, we saw the rise of platforms like Pinterest and Instagram as users found new ways to scrapbook their lives and interact with other users about recipes, clothing styles, vacation spots and more. There is no question that social media is here to stay, so if your business is not engaged in the social world, you’re in desperate need of social media optimization to stay relevant and in business. More and more potential customers depend on word of mouth and a vibrant online presence to convince them to use a certain business. In addition, many users make split decisions on-the-go with their smartphones to find out where they should eat, what clothing stores are in the area and more. Let’s take a closer look at social media and some ways you can leverage these powerful platforms to find leads and increase your business.
Don’t Expect a Million Fans or Followers Overnight: First and foremost, you should consider your expectations when you start out on social media. You’re not going to have a viral video the first day you upload a video on YouTube (that is of course unless the video has a fat cat in it). You need to have a structure in place that will lend itself to engagement and active participation, which will increase users and potential leads? So how does a business do that?
Be a Thought Leader: And an interesting thought leader at that. With social media, it’s all about the substance. If users and followers do not find you to be interesting, they’re not going to recommend you to others. So how does one become interesting? One has to post relevant, useful items and engage with the community in a way that the community will visit your page often. This could include links to other articles or posts, contests and surveys that could equate into prizes and savings, pictures and videos, and many other things.
Don’t Be a Perfectionist: You don’t have to think too hard to be on social media. Not every post has to be a Don Draperesque masterpiece in advertising and internet marketing. If you go for a homerun every time, you’ll most likely strike out more.
If You Need Help, Just Ask: Don’t be afraid to enlist a company that will help provide social media optimization. Social media is a skill that takes research and practice. It’s not something that can be learned overnight. An internet marketing company that specializes in social media can get you started as you learn the ropes.
Featured images:
Samantha Wideman is part of a team of writers and specializes in writing about current news events.