Do you properly use social media in your marketing plan? If you don’t, it’s really time to make the move. Statista reports there were 2.46 billion people using social media throughout the world. As of January 2019, Facebook was the most popular social networking site. It’s not the only platform you should use for interactions with consumers. Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube are other examples.

Social media allows you to spread the word of your product or service. It’s easy to get feedback from your target market. Share news of upcoming releases, contests, and sales. With the right social media marketing plan, it’s easy to boost business and gain a loyal following. To do so, you must know how to truly engage with consumers on social media.

Be Organized

Posting here and there is never a good idea. Before you even set up any social media accounts, create a timeline of how often you want to post. Map out what you will post on different days. Some companies post once a week, others opt to post daily.

If you find consumers want more posts, you can increase it. If they interact best at certain times of day or days of the week, schedule your post to match their preferences. Facebook has built-in calendars that let you set up your posts in advance. Use that software to your advantage and schedule a week’s or month’s worth of posts in one afternoon. Just make sure, you’re continually adding to that posting schedule.

Make the Most of Your Posts

Don’t post things that won’t interest or may insult your base. If you’re a restaurant, posting a political cartoon you feel is funny could drive a lot of patrons away.

Your posts need to be on-topic and relevant. Before you submit that post, make sure you’ve looked it over and had two others do the same. What sounds okay to you might actually be offensive to others or may not be meant for that account.

A social firm working for Chrysler learned that lesson the hard way. A post meant for a worker’s personal account was mistakenly posted to Chrysler’s company account. That post insulted Detroit drivers.

Never Cut Corners on Your Graphics

Don’t cut corners on graphics. While many sites offer royalty-free stock photos, remember that these photos are being used everywhere. If you’re using stock photos rather than taking the time to buy unique photos or take your own, people may wonder if you always cut corners. You could lose a level of trust. If you do want to use stock photos, make sure they truly represent what you mean to say.

Take a lesson American Eagle learned to heart. For a 4^th of July sale, they posted a photo of clouds that looked like they were exploding. That image was the cloud that formed right after the space shuttle Challenger exploded.

Don’t Be Afraid to Try New Things

Try new things. If you’ve never held a contest before, give it a shot. If you want to try offering new customers a referral bonus, do it. It never hurts to try, and social media is a great way to spread the word.

Ask for Feedback

When you do try something new, make sure you ask for feedback. Take that feedback to heart.

If you hold a sale and make a mistake, own up to it. If you’ve ever seen the Netflix sitcom Grace & Frankie, there’s a great example of this. Lily Tomlin’s character, Frankie, offers one free item to any people who share her Tweet. She never expects 25,000 people to retweet it. She doesn’t have that many items in stock, so she’s forced to come up with a way to make things right.

Be Active

Many companies set up social media accounts and don’t know what to do next or struggle to find the time to interact. It’s so important to interact. If there’s a complaint or concern, ignoring it doesn’t make that person go away. In fact, that comment or review is there for everyone to see and wonder why you’re not responding. Respond with courtesy and kindness. Don’t embroil the poster in a public battle of why they’re wrong. Companies that do this can damage their reputation.

Don’t set up a service on a social media site if you’re not ready to keep it running. If you offer to take appointments via Facebook chat and then never check for messages, you’re sending potential customers away.

You also need to monitor responses and comments. If you have a troll making off-topic posts, block that user. Be ready to apologize to anyone who was offended and ensure them you’re doing everything you can to keep it from happening again.

Don’t Be Afraid to Hire Experts to Manage Your Social Media Marketing

Some businesses find it hard to add social media marketing strategies into their workday. Factory 360 specializes in experiential marketing and incorporating social media into your overall marketing plan.  Factory 360 works with you to create an experience that draws consumers to your brand. Email us at info@factory-360.com to learn more!