With 2018 behind us, it is now time to think about marketing strategies for the new year. At this moment you likely have your Twitter account and your Facebook page setup for your company and regularly update your subscribers with news about your company and its products/services. Maybe you do not have as many followers as you would like, but a new year promises more interest. Now is the right time to consider some social media resolutions.
What do you have to plan for 2019? It mostly depends on what you have planned for your company. Your marketing strategy will be different from that of other companies, but if you are looking for ideas, you can find inspiration online.
Cut your weight.
Do you have social profiles that you no longer use? You may want to consider removing profiles that have not been updated for several months – it seems rather unprofessional to have a stagnating social profile. You could also find a way to revive it by introducing an active RSS feed.
Re-Evaluate design.
This could be an excellent time to change your Twitter background or your Facebook page profile photo. As social networks have changed interfaces over the last year, your current designs may no longer be suitable. Make time for a few makeovers.
Check Facebook tabs.
Are you still using FBML for custom tabs on your Facebook page? Better fix that quick, for FBML support will eventually go away. You need to be familiar with Facebook’s development site for making tabs, and that you have a server with https support to host the pages.
Engage more in social media with people. Once a day, commit yourself to the following:
- Re-tweet one tweet on Twitter
- Respond to another brand’s Instagram post
- Join relevant Facebook Groups, and chime in when applicable
- Comment on a relevant YouTube video
- Comment on a related blog post
Social media entails more than shot-gunning information. Put the social back in your social campaigns.
Attract more followers.
The adage of “I follow you, you follow me” may not always work in your favor. It’s not uncommon to look at a Twitter profile and see that person is following a number equal to his followers, but when you think about it, is anyone reading the posts. Mutual admiration can soothe the ego, but at the end of the day you want people on Twitter to read your feed because they WANT to read it, not because they feel obliged if you add them to your reading list. How do you attract more followers to any social network? Cross promote among your profiles, add URLs to e-mail signatures, campaign via established opt-in e-mails addresses. Above all else, produce the relevant content on a regular basis and people are searching for it will find you.
Gain different perspectives and share them.
Depending on the size of your business, either you are doing everything yourself, or you have hired a marketing person or firm to handle your social media. Both options are good, but when it comes to nurturing a fan page, it’s essential to keep the information current and interesting. Every post doesn’t have to be about the hard sell – get to know the people who visit your page. Converse, share information, and if you have employees, ask them to contribute socially. Mix up the perspectives on your feeds and present a well-rounded image to consumers and clients.
Broaden your horizons.
Once upon a time, television was all about the Big Three networks. These days, it may seem like social media is all about another big three – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube – but don’t discount niche networks that could provide you with new audiences for your products and services. Restaurant owners should take advantage of sites like Foodbuzz and Yelp to encourage patron interaction and feedback. Businesses seeking to grow gay/lesbian patronage can set up shop on GLEE.com, and Care2.com provides an excellent forum for people interested in environmental concerns.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to show your sense of humor.
There is no way to plan to go viral with a tweet, video, or blog post, but when it happens, it’s because the item is worth sharing. You don’t have to be the constant joker on social media, but if you let your hair down once in a while, you can show people a new side to your business that they will want to know.
The key to keeping strong social media resolutions in the new year, however, starts with producing relevant content. Grab readers, and they’ll grab you right back.