Social media is the way people connect, advertise, market, and communicate. Social networks and social media are taking the world by storm. Even if you don’t like it or understand it, this internet tool is here to stay and people use it not only for socializing but also for business purposes. Here are some social media tips to make your social and business media easier and more effective:
Use social networks to create an online presence.
Not having an online presence is like not having a business card. In fact, being online is your digital business card. If you don’t have a website, blog, and online presence, people assume you’re not real, unprofessional, and/or not up to date with the times and technology. which can also make it difficult to communicate with you because business communication may be limited to traditional tactics like phone calls, faxes, and regular mail. Therefore, having a blog site, social media accounts, and a website is very advantageous for your business. (Hint: There are plenty of free website templates you can use to create a website and use a free blogging site like Word Press as your website is perfectly fine.)
Protect your online presence and your social media presence.
Things posted online can spread like wildfire. Monitor the digital/online presence of your business. From time to time, do a Google search and use other search engines to see what comes up when you Google your business name. If something negative comes up, use the internet to combat negative comments and/or bad content.
Post carefully.
The beauty of the internet and online is that you can communicate and post very quickly. However, that is also the downside as what you post spreads quickly and many people can see it instantly. They can also quickly repost and retweet, as well as comment and rate. So think before you write and post. Think before you hit the “enter” key. Using social media for business means you need to stay professional with a touch of personality. Do not post things that give you an unprofessional image and reputation. You want to reveal your professional personality. A few quotes and friendly comments between the major trade publications is the balance you want to strike. You don’t want your company’s social media to make you wonder what kind of business you’re in, and you especially don’t want them to wonder if you’re even in business at all. So post carefully.
Climb carefully.
The same rules for posting carefully listed above apply to what you upload. If you’re tempted to post photos of yourself that you don’t want your boss, clients, prospective employer, staff members, target audience, and even family and friends to see, you better think first. Those charges can come back to haunt you. They can also be shared with hundreds and thousands of people. So choose wisely which photos, images and videos you upload.
These are just a few tips to make your business social networks successful and effective. Keep checking back as we add more blogs and articles on the subject of social media for business.
