By Greg Tuohy
Many of us are aware that social media channels represent some of the most powerful tools to employ within the world of digital marketing. Not only are these portals capable of reaching a broad audience base, but they can often be used without dipping into your revenue streams. However, another caveat needs to be mentioned.
It can be exceedingly difficult to manage multiple social media channels. Keeping track of the latest news, evaluating feedback, promoting offers, and interacting with visitors may detract from other in-house operations. This is when a bit of consolidation is in order. Here are five steps you can follow to help run each one of your accounts.
Employ an Editorial Calendar
One of the most common (and avoidable) mistakes when dealing with social media accounts is failing to understand when and how often to post. For example, you may wish to post Facebook updates three times each week while other platforms such as LinkedIn may require content only once or twice a month. This “digital juggling act” can lead to costly errors. You might even sacrifice conversions as a direct result.
It is therefore a great idea to create an editorial calendar. These calendars will remind you when it is time to post on a specific site. Let’s also remember that many calendars can be shared between different marketing teams. This centralised form of oversight will help to ensure that you remain ahead of the curve.
Social Media Management Software Bundles
These packages are must-haves for any business that hopes to leverage its social media presence. Their main intention is to simplify the entire marketing process through automation. For example, a single post can be created and subsequently shared across multiple platforms. This saves a great deal of time and effort. Furthermore, you will be ensured that previous posts are not repeated. Here are some useful (and free) packages to consider:
- Later
- Hootsuite
- TweetDeck
- Canva
- Buffer
The user-friendly nature of these tools is also beneficial for those who possess a limited amount of experience.
All About Documentation
Coordination and accountability are important when creating a far-reaching social media marketing campaign. The only possible issue is that it can be tough for multiple team members to remain on the “same page”. Metrics such as policies, the type of content to be posted and the desired style all need to be considered. This is when a bit of oversight can go a long way.
It is important to develop a dedicated social media strategy. These guidelines should then be provided to all relevant personnel. If a question or issue arises, it can be dealt with in a timely fashion. When we remember that different social media pages are often associated with different goals, it becomes clear to understand why a centralised approach is crucial.
Actively Engage with Your Audience
Ironically, one of the most common social media marketing mistakes involves failing to communicate with followers. Real-time monitoring is critical if you hope to appreciate the unique needs of your client base. While this is a core component of any omnichannel marketing strategy, it is even more important when dealing with live interactions.
We are not only referring to responding to feedback in this sense. Proactively following the results of a marketing campaign will need to address other factors. These include (but are not always limited to) mentions, hashtags, keywords, and which posts have attracted the most attention. This enables you to better appreciate if any approach might need to be slightly modified.
Another massive benefit of active engagement will involve how the company itself is perceived. For example, customers are more likely to remain loyal if a question or complaint is quickly resolved. In terms of brand reputation, developing a working relationship with your audience is paramount to success.
Analyse, Assess and Adapt
We need to remember that not every social media marketing strategy is evergreen in nature. Some approaches may need to be modified while it might be better to entirely discard others from time to time. This is when the power of objective analysis comes into play. Here are some of the metrics which should be evaluated regularly:
- Engagement rates
- Reach (how many visitors have seen a post)
- Impressions (the number of times an individual clicked on a post)
- Likes, shares and follows
These will provide you with an accurate “barometer” of how a strategy is being perceived. Which accounts are being viewed the most? Are there any campaigns that have received the lion’s share of attention? What do customers have to say about a certain product or service? Answering these questions will allow you to manage multiple channels more effectively.
Remaining One Step Ahead of the Competition
As this article notes, there are currently more than 4.33 billion active social media users. As they are present across numerous channels, developing a centralised method of oversight has never been more important.
Of course, not every business can leverage the talents of a dedicated in-house social media marketing team. Therefore, adopting clear and efficient strategies from the very beginning is critical. The fact of the matter is that social media is here to stay. If you wish to keep abreast of the competition, learning how to effectively monitor different accounts represents one of the keys to long-term success.
By Greg Tuohy
Greg Tuohy is the Managing Director of Docutec, a business printer and office automation software provider. Greg was appointed Managing Director in June 2011 and is the driving force behind the team at the Cantec Group. Immediately after completing a Science degree at UCC in 1995, Greg joined the family copier/printer business. Docutec also make printers for family homes too such as multifunction printers.
