Most businesses are aware of the importance of an online presence - no matter what industry, people typically turn to Facebook, Instagram, and the like to find reviews, hours, and contact information. But more than just a virtual “come in, we’re open” sign, having an active social media presence also legitimizes your business. Committing to a social strategy shows potential customers and the public that you are engaged and focused, putting out high-quality, relevant-to-your-industry posts and actively responding to questions, comments, and likes. In short, you continue to prove daily that you still exist and are there to be noticed. Social media is an integral part of how people communicate in their modern daily lives.
Many small business owners struggle with implementing an effective social media marketing strategy. It can feel overwhelming and a lot like work. However, the longer you wait, the more you have to lose. When done effectively, social media marketing can lead to more customers, more traffic, and more engagement. It’s never too late to begin!
But maybe you aren’t starting from scratch on your social accounts. Perhaps you have been limping along with a weak social media “strategy” that consists of posting a few times a month to Facebook, stumbling through making a graphic, or promoting an event here and there. Or you’ve parked on a Twitter or Instagram handle but have never really jumped in. Or worst case scenario– you treat your business page as a personal page (there is a difference!) and it’s full of old memes, far-sided political commentary, blurry selfies, or even cringe-worthy sexist jokes.
How can you polish up your social media accounts and represent your business in the very best way? Well, hiring Sway for social media management is a great place to start! However, if that isn’t currently in the cards for you (times are tough right now, we get it), a few simple tweaks can add polish and pizazz to your online presence.
Clean it up: Engagement isn’t everything: delete any posts that are risque, embarrassing, or just plain rude- even if it has a lot of reactions. Think about it this way: if you wouldn’t say it in person, don’t post it online. Or if you wouldn’t want your mom to see it, don’t post it.
Delete anything with broken links, spelling mistakes, or clumsy reposts. In your social media naivety, maybe you re-shared a post (possibly even multiple times, we’ve seen it happen!) instead of replying to a comment? Delete it. If it's old and played out, like an email forward from your grandma- delete it.
Update it: Go through and ensure that all of your account details are complete such as hours, contact information, and descriptions. This information is essential for your potential clients. Any discrepancy between your social media details and your website may cause confusion for people trying to get in touch. Also, ensure that your photos, logos, and banners are high resolution and the correct dimensions. Cut-off or pixelated banner photos look awkward and unprofessional.
Brand it: Start posting! Some great posts are relevant industry articles, photos, customer reviews, client stories, employee features— whatever! Just make it clear, spell-checked, high quality, and relevant. Don’t blow up your own feed, take advantage of Facebook’s post scheduling feature and scatter your posts throughout the week. You can post daily, every second day, Monday to Friday, three times per week. See what works for you and the amount of content that you have access to.
Working with a social media management company, like our team at Sway Marketing, can take these basic posting principles to the next level. We offer customized engagement tracking to ensure that the content is hitting the right marks, at the right time. Our systemized engagement and custom ads grow your audience and subscribers to make sure your best content is being seen. And with access to the best photographers, videographers, and content researchers, we provide high-quality, creative posts on all channels!