In today's society, social media is an important aspect of your business. Not only can social media help you promote your products, it enables your business to get publicity, traffic, and gain marketing insights. We've got some tips on what you should avoid on social media to help keep your social media presence strong.
Using hashtags in your post allows your post to become searchable or discoverable by other users. However, many people struggle with how many hashtags they should use. Instagram allows you to use up to 30 hashtags, but using all 30 often looks sloppy. If your goal is to increase your follower count, the recommended number is 11. This minimizes the number of hashtags that you use, while still using enough for users to find your post. If you have an Instagram business profile, you can track how effective your hashtags are.
Criticism is always difficult, so how should you handle it? First of all, don't delete negative comments. By the time that you've seen it, chances are several others have also seen it. You need to value the criticism because more of your followers could be thinking the same thing. Thank the person for their feedback, apologize if necessary, and address the issue at hand.
Though social media is a casual setting, you should never sacrifice your polish and professionalism. Even having a few misspellings can make your posts seem sloppy or amateurish. Grammarly is a great tool to help you catch those small mistakes.
The purpose of social media is to increase brand recognition, develop connections with customers, and create influence. The majority of your content should be focused on that. Think in terms of informing, educating, and engaging your audience, rather than just trying to sell them with every post.
Don't forget who you're trying to connect with. Building your audience is very challenging without understanding the communities on your social media platforms. Knowing your audience allows you to tailor your content specifically to them. This means you can supply your audience with compelling content at the right time.
It is easy for people to misread any of your posts and twist your words, especially with politics and controversial topics. Your followers don't tend to separate people from their business. In other words, you are your business in the eyes of the masses. Expressing your political views can damage your business. Your employees can even be considered ambassadors for your brand, so you might want a clear social media policy in the workplace. Controversial topics can not only affect your business but your employees. If they see you post something that they disagree with, it can change how they perceive you. This may impair your ability to hire and keep the best employees because they see your belief as a personal attack, even when it isn't.
By using these tips, you are taking steps toward successfully using your social media to expand your business and gain recognition. In the ever-changing social media world, you have to be careful with what you post to ensure you're getting the most out of your business account.
Kayli Thompson is a Marketing intern at Atwill Media. She is working toward a bachelor's degree in Strategic Communications with emphases in Advertising, Public Relations, and Social media management, and a minor in Graphic Communications.
In her free time, she enjoys drawing, watching Rick and Morty, and spending time with her Fiance and two cats.