When was the last time you landed on a website, saw an instruction to ‘follow us on social media’ and then went and did so?

Pretty much most brands know that social media is important in business today. That’s not the issue; the problem lies with knowing exactly what to do.

Can you do me a favour? Please head to some of your competitors’ websites. They all tend to say the same thing:

Follow us on social media.

What they don’t say is why.

Now, if everyone is communicating an identical message, that’s good. That means that there’s an amazing opportunity for you.

Maybe you have a similar line sitting somewhere on your site?

If so, then don’t fret. However, I think we can do better.

I think we can make the connection between your business and your social media activities a little more congruous.

This article aims to show you why you need to be different and, more importantly, how to use social media in a unique way.

Putting yourself in your customers’ shoes.

Let me ask you a question.

When was the last time you landed on a website, saw an instruction to ‘follow us on social media’ and then went and did so?

Exactly.

It just doesn’t happen.

So why put it?

In addition, why embrace the same concept? Why should your target audience follow your business on social media?

What are you going to gain out of sending a consumer to Facebook or Twitter and getting a share or a follow?

Sales shouldn’t be the aim, since they’re already on a platform that they can buy from: your website.

Is it vanity?

If so, that’s understandable. We all want more followers, likes and whatnot. Social media metrics are a good indicator of how professional a business is.

But I’m still not sure it’s worth jeopardising sending a potential lead off on a wild goose chase.

They’re not going to spend the rest of their day interacting with you on social media, much as you might like that.

What about to get the latest news?

That’s definitely more relevant, but again, you don’t want to lose a customer over this. It’s hard enough to generate website traffic these days, so when someone lands on your site, you want them to stay.

Anyway, don’t you have a blog subscription process for that?

Nope, to answer this question, the issue needs flipping.

In general, you shouldn’t be consumed with what you’d like to get out of social media. In fact, to be successful, you need to focus on what the customer wants and needs.

Why would people want to follow you on social media? 

At Social Media First, we believe that social media in the context is about two things: credibility and consistency.

You see, we believe that you can generate lots of new business with social media, but that will usually come via initially communicating on a platform.

When someone is already on your website, they’ve already jumped part of the hurdle.

A business needs to be credible. 

A social media presence undoubtedly adds a lot of credibility to a business.

People expect to be able to find a brand on social media, most notably Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

If a business doesn’t have a social media profile, that would seem weird nowadays.

It’s essential to communicate marketing messages, talk about industry topics and even deal with customer service issues.

It’s a place to talk with your audience, but only if they’re journey has started there.

And, of course, social media can be used to generate new business.

Social media should also be used for consistently. 

Whether we’re talking about logos, brand messages or style guides, people expect consistency.

As such, your social media presence should be consistent.

A business needs to talk the same, look the same and act the same on social media as it does on its website…

… otherwise this can create a disconnect between consumers and a brand.

What does a good social media strategy look like?

The answer is: it depends. 

It depends on your goals, so it’s important to clearly define your business targets before spending too much time on social media.

Are you going to speak in a formal fashion or will you be quite chatty?

Do you want to make social media a priority or use it sparingly?

Are you targeting likes and retweets or leads and sales?

Because, depending on your answers, your social media strategy will be very different.

As a starting point, I would advise making a list of your top 5 industry leaders and analyse their approach to social media.

When you know your goals and how you’re going to approach social media, I would also advise creating a schedule to stick to.

Social media can be very overwhelming.

It’s very easy to feel that there are a million and one jobs to do, which isn’t a great thing for busy marketers and business owners.

We all have differing amounts of time, resources and experience that we can use, which is why there is no one-size-fits-all social media strategy.

You need to have a bespoke strategy that works for you and your business, no one else’s. 

Audit what you’re doing and work out what’s working… and what isn’t.

For, to be really efficient, you must measure your progress.

Many companies make the mistake of logging into the same social media platforms day after day, posting the same sort of messages.

But as Einstein once said:

“The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”

You’re not expected to se a social media strategy in place and then stick to it forevermore.

Just as your business is always in flux, so your social media plans should be too.

Perhaps you shouldn’t think of social media as one giant, never-ending job. Maybe it would be better to consider social media as a vehicle that facilitates several different journeys.

Breaking social media up into campaigns can be a highly effective strategy. 

By chunking activities down into different, more manageable agendas, you’re more likely to find social media more enjoyable and rewarding.

One week you can focus on generating traffic to a blog post.

Another time you can concentrate on lead generation.

And so on…

In summary…

Does it feel that, when it comes to social media, you’re winging it?

Then you’re not alone.

If you have the line ‘come follow us on social media’ anywhere on your website, that might be a sign that you could do with a bit of tactical insight.

Social media is a long-term game, but you’re more likely to succeed if you’ve got a clear vision.