For many, social media has become an essential part in their day-to-day life. It’s after all a great way to connect, communicate, and be informed. It’s no surprise then that more and more business owners are taking advantage of this and latching onto social media to promote and establish their brands. From Facebook to Twitter to Youtube to LinkedIn, there are a lot of platforms that can be explored even by startup businesses. To get more identity for your new business, here are ways to gain a loyal following online.
Identify your market
From teenagers to full-time mothers to corporate employees, the social media has become a venue for many people of all ages and from all walks of life. So, before stepping into the world of social media, identify first what market you intend to tap. Determine the demographic of your audience to be able to strategize according to what would work for that specific group. Streamlining doesn’t end once you have created your brand and identified your product. Just like any marketing plan, you need to narrow down your target. This will enable you to make decisions on what updates to posts and what approach to use it with, including the kind of tone when delivering it.
Engage your audience with strong content
There’s a reason why people start and stick on following you on social media and it’s because they want to get new updates and exclusive information about your product. Don’t disappoint them. Make it a priority to constantly update your page but also make sure to keep them timely, relevant, and interesting. When you find it fitting, posting a conversation-starter is also a clever way to get interaction from your audience. Bring them intriguing teasers or simply a useful trivia that can be related to your product. Being a startup business gives you an advantage because there are still a lot of topics that you can cover to identify yourself with. The key is to always keep them interested with your updates enough for them to retweet, like, or comment.
Be identified with a voice
Creating strong public relations and establishing your brand also means having a distinct voice, and this definitely includes the one you want to be distinguished with even in social media. This platform is definitely not a place for you to establish yourself as a mechanical robot. Incorporate brand personality by using a certain voice that you want to project yourself with. You can earn respect from your audience if they can identify you with a consistent tone, vision, and expertise of your voice. Make sure then that your team uses this same voice in all the social media platforms that you use as.
Listen to your audience
Just like any relationship, the relationship you have with your social media audience is two-way. This means that while you are giving them information, you can also expect them to give their opinion. Whether it’s negative or positive, interaction with your audience is a good sign; it means that you are heard. In return, it is your obligation to listen to them. Getting their thoughts will give you an idea on what they want and what more you can possibly offer them. Even the different ways they react to your different posts will let you know which types of updates will get their attention. Take advantage of their engagement. Likewise, when dealing with complaints and irate clients, make sure to establish an S.O.P, which should include acknowledging the concern in public and isolating or solving the issue in private. Generating loyal audience can turn into profitable leads, so make them feel that their opinions matter.
Photo Credit: Flickr/Widjaya Ivan
