For people new to social media, it can all feel rather daunting. It doesn’t have to be. If you read our article Could you boost your business by maximising the potential of social media?, you will see a simple overview of what the main social media platforms have to offer. You will also see the basics of how they could benefit your business.
But how do you get started on social media? We’ve created a simple five-step process to help you.
Step 1. Research which social media platforms your existing and potential customers use most, find interesting and where they tend to be active.
These platforms are the most important, because building an audience takes time; focusing your efforts on the areas most likely to bring results is just sensible marketing strategy. So, choosing the right platforms for your business is a very important step. We recommend shortlisting a top 3 for this. How do you find out which social media platforms are the most popular and interactive among your customers?
There are two ways to start finding out.
- Explore the social media usage of a handful of your competitors. If they’re getting more customer interaction on YouTube than Instagram, for instance, then that can be a useful guide.
- Find out from your existing customers. The first stage is to talk to five to ten customers directly. Make a list of things to ask them, and be honest about why. Their answers will help you go to the second stage: creating an online survey to send out to a larger number of your current customers. Not everyone will answer, of course, but the answers you get should give vital insight into your typical customers’ social media use and preferences.
Step 2. Create the right business accounts.
Once you’ve decided which platforms are the perfect ones for your business, you need to start creating your business profile on each of them.
This is not something to rush. Take your time to create solid profiles, which contain the right information about your business. Consider two things: the expertise you offer and the benefits to your customers. Because benefits are what encourage people to engage, to buy and to recommend, you need to describe your business in terms of benefits.
Make sure you link your profile to your web page, complete all contact information and give reasonable detail on services and/or products. Some platforms, like a Facebook business page, allow more space than others. Don’t overwhelm with detail, but do provide comprehensive coverage of everything you have to offer and why it matters to your customers.
Step 3. Optimise your social media channels and the way you communicate.
Focus on a specific group of people: your typical or ideal customers. Marketing companies aim to create detailed personas of their ideal customers: who they are, their ages, gender, beliefs, priorities, likes, dislikes and usual behaviours. They formulate their social media content to appeal to those personas. Not, we hasten to add, in a way which would actively alienate anyone who doesn’t fit neatly into the personality types!
Personalise your social media accordingly, for instance addressing posts with ‘Dear farmers’ instead of ‘Dear all’. Remember what your audience wants to know, what their particular challenges are, and shape your content around those needs.
We recommend focusing on one channel first, optimising it as best you can, and then moving on to the other channels you’ve chosen. Use your ideal customer profile to guide how you share your own experiences, product explanations and photos.
Step 4. Analyse your social media accounts on a regular basis.
Track, for example, how many likes and reactions your business receives and how many followers you have. Comments and interactions are the most valuable; they demonstrate that people have been properly engaged, rather than just pressing a simple thumbs-up icon. Ask questions with your content, canvassing opinion, because then you make your world about the customer and how you can help them. And that’s what they’re really interested in.
Analysing engagement shows you which photos, videos, articles and subjects are most interesting to your customers. This is important information that you can use in the future when you’re planning fresh content.
Step 5. Ensure a good online relationship.
Nowadays, many customers expect 24/7 online service. Of course, that’s not realistic for every business; what matters is that if you promise a quick answer, you need to live up to that promise. Focus on the relationship with the customer, on building trust, on demonstrating dependability. Thank people if they leave a positive business review. Address the issue humbly, helpfully and positively if they leave a negative one. Always be professional – but with personality.
And on that note, social media allows each individual to put their own personal touch on how they go about their marketing. Some use videos to talk about harvest progress in a video diary type way, others use pictures to talk through their daily routine and the challenges and rewards of the job. Social media is most effective when you use it regularly. It keeps you in your customers’ minds. It's fast-moving nature means your potential audience can quickly move on to following someone else if your account goes quiet for too long.
So, it’s really important to listen to your customers and take note of what they prefer as content. Their interactions – with your social media and content from your competitors, will help you stay relevant and build a loyal following.
Social media takes time. Don’t give up if you don’t immediately get many new connections or likes. If you are persistent and put the time in to learning how to earn your customers’ engagement, your hard work will pay off. Good luck!
