Let’s take a moment to reflect on how social media has made an impact on global communications and, mostly, our lives. Really think about it? What would your life look like without social media? Hard to imagine, isn’t it? But what does social media mean for marketers?
You might think that social marketing is all Facebook and Instagram. And while that is true (to an extent) being a social media marketer goes beyond clever posts and captivating pictures. Building your online brand is a must in our digitally dominated world because you are truly defined by your content online, and that can be a daunting task.
A Content Focus
Content marketing is crucial for business, especially in the case of eCommerce. Digestible, curated content is one of the best ways to show that you are on top of your game! Reposting and featuring user-generated content is a crucial piece of your content strategy, but nothing says thought leader quite like leading the conversation with your own content. For more tips on how to become an authentic thought leader, check this post out!
So Social?!
For the most part, everyone knows what social is. I mean, we all know what the social landscape looks like. On the outside, it is all hashtags, selfies, sponsored Facebook ads, cat memes, and viral videos. But when you look deeper it is a vital piece of content marketing.
As a marketer, you need to know how to magnify your brand’s image and reputation through these social channels. Ideally, you would have a team that would include pieces like social media strategist, social PR strategist, social content strategist, and social content creators. But, you can manage social accounts with a couple of people.
Here are some easily actionable tips on how to incorporate social into your daily routine, without getting overwhelmed. Especially if you are little more than a one-man show.
Quick Tips:
- Newsworthy – Use social media as a quick way to find out what is trending around the globe and in your market. Use the morning to read industry press releases and check-in on your competitors.
- Ideas – inspiration is everywhere! Talk to your colleagues, find out what they are working on, what are the hot topics in their world. Take a walk. You never know when lightning will strike!
- Assistance – Working with a partner helps immensely! You can bounce ideas off of one another to figure out your best plan of attack to amplify your voice across your social platforms. It also gives you the opportunity to hone your brand story and understand how it all fits into each of your social channels and the company’s larger vision.
- Seriously – Don’t take yourself too seriously. That is pretty much it. Social is a great place to build your professional brand, but you need to remain human. Post that clever quip or silly meme. Just do so with tact and never be mean.
- Don’t Assume – You know what they say when you assume, right? So avoid any assumptions that if your social media manager isn’t at her desk that she isn’t working. One of the greatest things about social is that it can happen anywhere.
With the way social is trending it is highly likely to become integrated across roles and in all levels of the business, from entry-level positions to executives. Especially as people become more comfortable with how to work and manage the platforms.
Currently, social is in the hands of a few. And whether that is due to lack of awareness, understanding, or budget (or perhaps a little of all three) that is going to change. Keep these tips in mind and remember that social is a moving target that is on 24/7.
