A lot of advice is available online for increasing Facebook reach, boosting Twitter followers, and so on, but for brand-new businesses with no social presence whatsoever, it can be difficult to know precisely where to start.
Is it too late to make an impact? Is it possible to start from scratch when many well-established brands exist?
While it may be challenging to start from zero – early adopters often tend to find it easier to gain popularity – it is certainly not impossible. Get going with these top tips:
1. Don’t try to do everything
If you are launching your new brand on social media, don’t open an account on every network. You want to grow a comfortable social presence, and you can do this best on two to three networks.
Is your brand very visual? Perhaps focus on Pinterest and Instagram. Dorset Dental Clinic in (you guess it) Dorset have a website https://www.dorsetdentalclinics.com/ and have begun their social media https://www.instagram.com/dorsetdental/ and https://www.facebook.com/dorsetdentalclinic/. They have found that whilst Instagram is useful at generating interest in the business it is Facebook that is brining in the new patients.
Do you love creating videos? Look at Vine and YouTube.
Is regular, frequent content part of your plan? Consider Twitter and Google+.
2. Have a strategy
Don’t make your life harder by opening social media accounts and shooting at moving targets in the dark. Please identify what you want to achieve and create a plan to achieve it. Following this strategy – and adapting it when necessary – will get you to where you want to be.
3. Research your audience and act accordingly
Look at the demographics of your ideal customer and use the information you glean to set yourself up on the networks and websites where your target customer is most likely to be.
4. Consider using social media as your customer service platform
If you are not set up with customer support helplines or a CRM platform, make the most of your social presence to manage customer service where you are. This not only makes you easily accessible to your clients and users, but it can also increase your visibility and reputation when you prove yourself to be a helpful resource. More.
5. Don’t lose sight of your voice and your vision
If you try to follow all the advice on the web, you can find yourself heading up a faceless brand with no personality, which is not a route to social media success. Sure, you might post at the correct times or use the best buzzwords, but have you lost sight of your brand identity?
Authenticity in your social communications should resonate with your vision for your new business. This will attract genuine customers and enthusiastic brand ambassadors who can help you build your social presence effectively.
