As a generation of digital natives comes into its own in the business world, the social media experience has become enmeshed in how we conduct our professional activities. Established platforms are adding functionality at every turn and new networks crop up continuously. With a staggering amount of content vying for attention, social fatigue has become part of the mix for some, while others relish it. Meanwhile, applications and platforms seek increasingly sophisticated ways to present and parse information based on user preferences, settings, behavior and engagement.
Thus, today’s users are becoming more conscious consumers of digital information, more selective and attuned to how and where they engage as they sift through a deluge of daily content. So how can companies stay on the radar with business partners, clients, employees, investors, customers, candidates and other stakeholders and influencers?
The following are some ways organizations can sharpen their approach and up their share of voice across social media and online networks.
Know your audience. Know where and when your audiences are most active and cultivate presence on those platforms. Use free platform-based analytics — such as those available on LinkedIn and Twitter — to learn about who is following you so that you can tailor your activity appropriately. Or dig deeper with other third-party tools to analyze and extract information about your followers.
Content reigns. Audiences eventually tune out if every post from you is selling something to them. Be sure to feature the real-time insights and expertise that make you a recognized leader in the field and enhance your reputation. Your perspective can glean followers as much as showcasing your products or services can, and is often where you will have the higher engagement.
Links. URLs provide context. When possible, contextualizing your post by including a relevant link. Not only is this helpful, it provides additional content to engage with, increasing the likelihood that the content will be shared or acted upon.
Worth a thousand words. Eyecatching visuals have it over swaths of text, so embrace images, design and photos. With YouTube at the top of the search engine food chain, and with the integration of video content and the rising popularity of video apps, it is also worth exploring how you can make use of footage to bring your brand to life.
Be topical. With an infinite amount of cool information in the Wild West of the web, it can be easy to get distracted and to engage with content that is off topic. Stick to subjects and information close to your business and expertise.
A sense of place. Some platforms enable users to add a location to posts. This provides a sense of your geographic reach and/or regional niches and allows wider audiences with specific geographic interests to find you more easily.
Hashtag it. Using hashtags (#) in front of keywords or phrases can also help audiences find content of yours related to specific themes and subjects. Similarly, mentioning (@) individuals and entities in posts enhances searchability, and signals to those users that they’ve been mentioned, driving awareness and engagement.
Respond to queries. Check the messages in your company accounts and respond to the legitimate ones in a timely, courteous fashion, be they from candidates, clients, business partners or suppliers.
Reciprocate. Be sure to give those who follow and engage with your content some online kudos as well.
Remember, your own employees can be your biggest champions on social media, so provide some guidance so that they can be personal ambassadors for your values and vision as an organization.
