CONNECT, ENGAGE, RESPOND

Social media is used by so many businesses today, but ask yourself: are you using it properly or are you just 'ticking the box'? Even if you don't personally use social media much, you'll need to understand it so your business can get results from your posts. So let's get your ego out of it first.

1. You need to have an audience - someone to talk to. But don't get caught up in these numbers. (The number of people following your page)
2. Watch the results of every post you do. If you don't have many likes, comments or shares on your posts, you need to do something differently. Make a goal to improve your results on each post.
3. Test different times of day, days of the week and frequency of posts. Find out what produces the highest engagement for you. (There is no formula here and it can change often)
4. Look at your language. Tell stories, share your knowledge. Don't sell to them in every post.
5. Understand the social platform you are using.

With every update, social media platforms become more and more valuable to businesses. In Instagram's latest update, for example, it introduced yet more engagement tools and other useful marketing features, once again establishing it as an important marketing platform for brands.

But, are you using Instagram? And how effectively are you using Facebook?

It's important that, as a business, you understand the value - better yet, the vital importance - of using social media to market yourself and create a community around your business. But it's hard to get it right.

So what can you do?

Look at the data - measure the results of likes, comments, shares etc. you are getting and set goals for improvement - we are always pushing ourselves to go bigger and better and make each new post the best.
Don't just "tick the box" - the kind of content you post on social media deserves careful consideration, not a cookie-cutter "20% off this week" ad. (Don't sell in every post)
Find your message - this is the intersection between your business's motto and the interests of your target audience. What do they want to see?

I can hear your brain ticking...