Last month The Inspire Network speaker was Rebecca Todd of Social Vine, an Online Marketing, Training and Consultancy Business. Rebecca believes that in business we use people to help us grow – both online and offline. Rebecca is passionate about create a region that flourishes with enterprise and opportunity through marketing strategies that will make a difference.

She shared some amazing tips with us, and here they are…

Why should you be on social media anyway?

There are LOADS of reasons for this. Here’s what I scribbled in my notebook:

  • Credibility
  • To look at competitors
  • To see what’s trending
  • To stay aware of key influencers
  • To show your industry knowledge
  • To show relevant information
  • To react immediately
  • To showcase who you are, your brand and your offer
  • To share your story
  • To drive traffic and sales to your website
  • To increase brand awareness
  • For inspiration
  • To build relationships
  • To stay in the loop
  • To help support others
  • To get noticed
  • To be part of a community

 

Here are her tips for using social media:

Be Consistent

Of course I LOVE this top tip and am just a teeny bit excited that it’s in first place! It’s super important to have a consistent image, so having a consistent colour scheme, using your brand identity to ensure that you look professional and create a high quality image and impression.

Get visual.

  • Try to create content that isn’t samey. Think outside the box.
  • Use your own images.
  • Go behind the scenes.
  • Be personable – people like real people!
  • Utilise lives and stories.
  • Use gifs, infographics and videos.

Be social

  • Talk to people online and care about what they’re posting.
  • Target people you meet and take a photo.
  • Share content applicable to your industry. Rebecca shared the example of a Christmas Candle Company who could share posts from a Christmas cake decorator. This is called a Shoulder Niche. Business who could work hand in hand with yours – sharing independent retailers who you can align with – promoting complimentary businesses.

Be personable

  • Don’t be afraid to show personality. You are a real person and people do business with people.
  • Showcase the culture behind the scenes, show you doing stuff, people trust you if they can see you.
  • If you gain a new follower, thank them. Do a video or tag them.

Get interactive

  • Try doing a Facebook Live on a split screen – this is good for collaboration, interviews and polls.
  • Ask questions, do contests and giveaways (watch the rules here) If you are service based then you can look at giving something away free from a sideline – ie. collaborate with other local businesses (your shoulder niche!) to run giveaways.

Consider ad spend

  • Organic reach is harder to gain. Only 5-11% of the people who like your page will see your posts. The algorithm changes all of the time, so keep some money to promote your posts.
  • Promote a launch or a competition.
  • Use Facebook Blueprint to upskill yourself.
  • The Facebook Ad Manager shows insights including your competitors and what else your audience is interested in. Use this information for targeting your audience.

Use scheduling tool and editorial calendar

This is handy because it means that you can organise your life and you’re able to spend more time socially listening. There are loads of options for this, Rebecca mentioned Sprout Social, Hootsuite and Buffer – I use (and love) Promo Republic. You need to mix it up a bit with scheduling if you want to get noticed. Facebook isn’t wild about third party posting, so be sure to post on Facebook itself too – especially if you really want to get noticed.

Pick the correct platform

The core platforms are Twitter and Facebook where you can utilise groups and build communities – and LinkedIn where you can build an online CV. You should use the appropriate platform for your business. You don’t have to be super professional – you have to be YOU.

  • LinkedIn – super corporate B2B use for sharing articles, to show interest and show what you’re up to. Engage with other business owners.
  • Facebook – post what’s going on everyday. This is great for credibility. Engage everyday.
  • Twitter- build relationships and share others content.

Keep re-evaluating and looking at your insights. Do your market research – use surveys to find out the daily routine of your customer so you can post when they are online.

Using Instagram

Instagram is good for telling a story in pictures.

  • Use pictures of products and getting the business ready.
  • Hashtags are handy to help you track your posts. For example #humpday on a Wednesday.
  • Hashtags used should be appropriate to your business or used as the base to a campaign.
  • Use smaller hashtags, those with a 200-500K reach and make them really specific.
  • Add the hashtags as a comment rather than in the post.
  • Use locations if your posts are really specific.

TOP SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS

  • Be brave and go on camera
  • Go live and make videos.
  • Thank followers using video.
  • Use lives, stories and periscopes to get your face known.
  • Invite people who like your posts to like your page.

 

What have you learnt that you’re going to implement?

 


Rebecca Todd is a single mum & chief chatterbox at Social Vine, an Online Marketing, Training and Consultancy Biz. Social Vine was founded out of her passion and drive to make a difference and create a region that flourishes with enterprise and opportunity through marketing strategies that will make a difference. Join the group here.


 

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