To say that social media is a growing trend for businesses would be an understatement. Why has social media become so important for businesses? Word of mouth knows no barriers with social networks- the possibilities for spreading content or ideas are endless and it also creates influence and scale in a way traditional media simply cannot, for a fraction of the cost.
If your business isn’t on Facebook yet, you’re missing out on a hugely valuable tool, partially because there are so many people on Facebook. A company page is different from a personal group profile. Be sure to customize your page by adding images, details about your business, company history and contact information. Post interesting updates, photos, deals, or ask engaging questions to get your followers interacting with your company. Try not to post too much and avoid selling too much. Over-posting is a top reason people will “unlike” your page. There are also paid advertising options through Facebook, if you are not getting the exposure you need you could always try these options as well.
Twitter can be extremely advantageous to help grow your business. Essentially, Twitter is a communication tool that allows businesses to connect with customers, prospective clients, industry experts, competitors and more. Your company will need to start following others to see the messages they post. Space is limited in a Tweet, only allowing 140 characters per tweet so use them wisely. Twitter language includes following, retweeting, hashtags, link shortening and replying. These are terms you should become familiar with to take full advantage of this social media source. On all sources of social media people will reach out to your company with issues, questions or concerns. Always respond, even if it just means referring them to the right person.
The web is full of legal concerns, and social media is no exception. For companies that do engage in social media, various risks should be considered from followers to privacy breaches, to what happens when an employee bad mouths a supervisor on Facebook. The law is still developing, so companies should proactively protect themselves. The best way to protect your company is to have a comprehensive policy specifically addressing all relevant social media concerns for employees and providing clear examples of unfit behavior. A few steps to begin writing a policy should include an employee bill of rights, internal usage guidelines, external usage guidelines, and social media confidentiality and nondisclosure guidelines. It is always smart to have legal counsel review your policies in full before finalizing.
These are just a few pointers to get you started in the social media world. It can be a great tool if used correctly, so be sure to have a trustworthy employee run the company’s pages. A story that may have reached a dozen people 20 years ago now could reach thousands in minutes!
Information provided by Barrow Group, LLC.