We recently attended two social media conferences. One was a Mini-MAC workshop covering the digital experience credit unions can provide members. The other featured our President and CEO, Adrian Hyatt-Ward, as a speaker. Many will tell you the importance of having social media presence; but don’t expand on it in detail.
They tell you it’s how to reach Millennials, but typically leave you in the dark as how to do that. They rarely mention Generation X, yet somehow forget to tell you they spend the most time on it. They say Baby Boomers are showing the most growth on the platforms, yet fail to explain that the increase is coming from accessibility improvements.
They tell you a lot of things, but the reason why they don’t spell it out completely, is because they don’t know. These half-facts are not going to help you convert anyone into a customer. Hopefully, we can clear that up for you.
Regardless of the demographic you’re targeting, here are six practices from Adrian’s presentation that will improve your social media presence.
BE ENGAGED
The biggest difference between traditional and digital marketing is consumers have the opportunity to immediately engage with your company in a public setting. Think of social media as an arm of customer service. Would you not answer a ringing telephone? No. Social media comments are the same. You need to engage with those that engage with you, less you look like you’re not listening and that you don’t care, even though you do.
BE AUTHENTIC
Consumers don’t want to follow brands that are only pitching them products. Social media provides the opportunity for you to showcase your brand’s message and image. Are you out volunteering at an event in your community? Did you give away a promotional prize or make a donation to a non-profit? Show them. Your consumers want to know what you do in the community. Highlight landmarks and events in the area. Position yourself to be an expert in the community and you’ll be seen as an expert of your products. Remember, it’s about the message, not just the messenger.
BE POSITIVE ABOUT NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
Negative feedback often gets pushed to the side, hidden, or deleted. Don’t do that. Embrace what your customers have to say about you. Open a conversation with them and invite them to handle the complaint privately. We can’t promise they will change their review, but anyone who is watching or reading later on will respect your acknowlegement. Positively confronting your complaints and concerns is the best way to show that you’re listening to your audience.
BE CONSISTENT
Ads, posts, your page layout, and images, should be consistent across all platforms with your branding elements. A consistent customer experience reinforces who you are and how you want to be perceived. Circumstances don’t change who you are, they reveal who you are.
BE AWARE OF YOUR VALUES
Brand perception starts from within. Your corporate values are in your company DNA, they guide your company culture. These should be a part of your social media presence. If you live up to these values, you will fulfill your brand promise.
BE ON TOP OF YOUR REPUTATION
If brand perception starts from within, so does reputation. You have the power to control how you will be perceived. A good place to start is by monitoring your platforms. It doesn’t matter if you’re on Facebook or not, your customers will still be talking about you. Being there gives them a place to comment or just ask questions. If you’re not, your company could be associated with comments and the lack of a response. That paints you as uncaring.
Social media isn’t as complex as it seems. It’s really just converting what your company physically does into a digital experience. Extend and share that with your target. Think of it as a way to engage in conversation and establish relationships with your followers, just like you would in your physical locations.