By Dave Chlastosz, Account Executive

Social media best practices 

We all have heard this rumored success story at one point or another. It seems so simple: 

Step 1: A company creates branded accounts with all of the newest and most popular social media services. 

Step 2: The company populates their account with the latest information about their brand and all of the great products they have to offer. 

Step 3: The company goes viral and accumulates throngs of captivated followers, fans and subscribers. 

And every day, thousands of businesses create Twitter accounts, YouTube channels and Facebook pages (though the list goes on and on) in hopes that this “strategy” will pay off for them. But all too often, the end result is frustration and raised (and generally unwarranted) doubts of social media’s viability as a worthwhile tool to engage new and existing customers. 

Needless to say, building a consistent, targeted brand following online is not that easy. 

With this in mind, here are some best practices to consider when setting out to get your brand’s social media presence off the ground and cultivate an engaged, targeted audience: 

Know Your Limits
Remember that any one profile, page, channel or account may be viewed as a representation of your brand’s appeal across all social media platforms. Therefore, any applications you choose to employ should work together and offer the same levels of audience engagement and value-added contributions.  

That said, it is important to step back and evaluate which social networks your key audiences rely on before diving into the most popular services. Once you are able to identify where an opportunity exists, set realistic goals for what you want to accomplish with respect to your capacity. To draw from cliché: quality should always take precedence over quantity, and first impressions are everything. 

Don’t Forget the Steak
As we have touched on in past blog posts, your primary goal should be to provide value-added content to your audience to establish yourself as a valuable contributor to the community. It is easy to be captivated by the “sizzle” of promoting yourself through the latest and greatest social media applications, but if you forget to provide the “steak” that will entice your audience to seek you out, visit often and encourage their friends and colleagues to do the same, your presence may end up being written off as self-promotional MEdia. 

“Stop. Collaborate and Listen.”
While this may be the first time the timeless words of Robert Van Winkle have been applied to public relations, this lyric encapsulates the key tenets to social media success. 

It won’t happen overnight, but to build a loyal, engaged audience, you should first remember that social media is about being social. Reach out proactively and solicit the community’s feedback on your brand. Offer thanks and gratitude when someone comments on your page. Pose questions to encourage discussion or debate. Collaborate on industry trends without promoting your own solutions. And most importantly, listen to what your customers are saying and respond accordingly. 

While there are countless options to engage your audience, the key is to facilitate an environment where your customers can communicate with you (and, in some cases, their peers) openly and with confidence. 

What advice would you give to a company trying to connect with you through social media? 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/therhumbline/ / CC BY 2.0