I’ve been working online for the past 11 years (yes, I really can’t believe it either) and active within social media for work and fun for the last 4 years, so I thought I’d share some of my learnings along the way. First up, The Ten Social Media Commandments...
1. Thou shalt find the right social media network
Different social media platforms suit different customers. I’ve worked with brands who a presence across all social media however, you need to tailor campaigns to suit the audience. Plus, social media, even though it’s pretty cheap to run, is resource heavy so it’s better to participate fully in a couple of platforms, rather than across the board.
Different social media platforms suit different customers. I’ve worked with brands who a presence across all social media however, you need to tailor campaigns to suit the audience. Plus, social media, even though it’s pretty cheap to run, is resource heavy so it’s better to participate fully in a couple of platforms, rather than across the board.
2. Thou shalt listen
Monitor what people are saying about you and /or your brand. Whether it’s Google Alerts or searches on Twitter and Facebook, ensure you know what people out there are saying about your brand. If it’s good, great, if it’s bad, listen and see what you could change.
Monitor what people are saying about you and /or your brand. Whether it’s Google Alerts or searches on Twitter and Facebook, ensure you know what people out there are saying about your brand. If it’s good, great, if it’s bad, listen and see what you could change.
3. Thou shalt engage
Social media is a two way conversation – if people are talking to you, you need to respond in a timely manner, otherwise they’ll think you’re ignoring them. This goes for Facebook, Twitter and for comments on blogs or your You Tube videos. You don’t want to be rude after all!
Social media is a two way conversation – if people are talking to you, you need to respond in a timely manner, otherwise they’ll think you’re ignoring them. This goes for Facebook, Twitter and for comments on blogs or your You Tube videos. You don’t want to be rude after all!
4. Thou shalt promote
Don’t expect people to just stumble upon your social media offering – promote elsewhere online and offline.
Don’t expect people to just stumble upon your social media offering – promote elsewhere online and offline.
5. Thou shalt update regularly
Social media is 24/7 so if you only update once a week, you’ll lose that engagement. This will mean updating out of office hours and having some strategy in place to deal with comments outside of the 9-5. Social media never sleeps. The thing that annoys me about some brands who have Facebook/Twitter pages is that on Friday afternoon, they say ‘bye, have a nice weekend’ but the social media user is probably more active at weekends and evenings due to a lot of offices banning social media sites.
Social media is 24/7 so if you only update once a week, you’ll lose that engagement. This will mean updating out of office hours and having some strategy in place to deal with comments outside of the 9-5. Social media never sleeps. The thing that annoys me about some brands who have Facebook/Twitter pages is that on Friday afternoon, they say ‘bye, have a nice weekend’ but the social media user is probably more active at weekends and evenings due to a lot of offices banning social media sites.
6. Thou shalt recruit advocates
Make friends with users, get talking to bloggers – these people can spread the word. Invite key tweeters to events, give bloggers an exclusive – make them your friend and they will reward you with a positive response.
Make friends with users, get talking to bloggers – these people can spread the word. Invite key tweeters to events, give bloggers an exclusive – make them your friend and they will reward you with a positive response.
Savvy fashion houses understand this well – Burberry for example invited bloggers to their Autumn/Winter show earlier last year. They weren’t necessarily the most glamorous blogs, but they were influential and well read. It gave them lots of free positive publicity.
7. Thou shalt not ignore negative criticism
Deal with it quickly and without attitude. Sometimes the criticism can actually be useful and help you fine tune your customer service or whatever your particular brand offering is.
Deal with it quickly and without attitude. Sometimes the criticism can actually be useful and help you fine tune your customer service or whatever your particular brand offering is.
8. Thou shalt be active within social media
The more you participate in it, the more you’ll understand it. I’m always surprised when people who update social media profiles for businesses, don’t participate personally! How can you understand the mediums unless you use them regularly?
The more you participate in it, the more you’ll understand it. I’m always surprised when people who update social media profiles for businesses, don’t participate personally! How can you understand the mediums unless you use them regularly?
9. Thou shalt create engaging content
Give people a reason to visit you social media offering. Create bespoke video and run it on You Tube and Facebook, create exciting interactive competitions. They don’t have to be fancy, sometimes the simple things work best. I once ran a tagging competition on some photos uploaded for an event – we had over 25,000 tags in just 2 days. Simple, but effective.
Give people a reason to visit you social media offering. Create bespoke video and run it on You Tube and Facebook, create exciting interactive competitions. They don’t have to be fancy, sometimes the simple things work best. I once ran a tagging competition on some photos uploaded for an event – we had over 25,000 tags in just 2 days. Simple, but effective.
10. Thou shalt admit their mistakes
It’s OK to muck up, as long as you admit to them and apologise – I’ve found that consumers of social media are very forgiving people! Hold your hands up, apologise and move on – and always apologise publicly. People are a lot more forgiving when you admit to your mistakes rather than deny any wrongdoing.
It’s OK to muck up, as long as you admit to them and apologise – I’ve found that consumers of social media are very forgiving people! Hold your hands up, apologise and move on – and always apologise publicly. People are a lot more forgiving when you admit to your mistakes rather than deny any wrongdoing.
Any more social media tips? Share them in the comment box below!
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