Most brands need to embrace social media in order to engage with and grow their customer base. But when you’re a time and cash-strapped start up, it can be difficult to know how much time and money to invest in social media. Here’s our guide to social media for start ups.
Content is king with social media – so heavily the realm of a copywriter. Social media users want you to post entertaining, engaging and informative content that’s relevant to them on a regular basis. You can only do this if you’ve already decided what your brand identity is, and know something about your target audience. Schedule regular chunks of time to look after your social media. It’s better to post quality rather than quantity but you also have to be responsive to feedback from your followers. Take time to make your social media pages look aesthetically pleasing and professional.
Here are some quick tips:
• Build trust – be human, have real conversations and respond promptly.
• Promote other brands or content on a daily basis and much more than you mention yourself – the ratio should be about 5:1. Become a useful ‘hub’ of information for your target audience.
• Use thought provoking questions to start conversations.
• Invite users to interact with your brand by telling stories, posting their own tips or uploading images and video. Use incentives to get them to post.
• Cultivate early adopter fans – the most valuable followers are those that are ‘ambassadors’ for your brand. Formally invite your most active influencer fans to initiate conversations and to share your brand across your sites, again providing incentives like virtual vouchers and gifts.
• Cultivate influencers − Try to get the most important influencers in your sector to recommend you – via forums and blogs.
