Twenty percent of the population has an account on Facebook. If you aren’t using the site, and other forms of social media, to market your business, you are really missing out. You want to get the attention of your audience, and social media offers you an amazing, free medium to do just that. Of course, you need to use it correctly if you’re going to be successful at increasing conversions and profits. There are a lot of different ways you can get people to notice you on social media, and if you have a good strategy before you start posting you may be pleasantly surprised at the results.
 

1. Don’t Be Shy

If you don’t post, and you don’t post what you think, you can risk losing customers. That generally happens because people have trouble identifying with you and your brand when you seem to have nothing of substance to say. It’s important to put yourself (or your business) out there, and make your presence known, while still taking into consideration issues that could deeply offend people. Strong opinions make sense, but so does consideration for others. Still, you want to post enough information, and with enough frequency, that people can start to get a good feeling for who you are, what you are about, and what you stand for. That way you can make a social media connection, and that can mean more people coming to buy what you have to offer.
 

2. Have the Right Content

What you have to say is very important. You may not think so, but your customers and potential customers do. While they may not always read every piece of content you offer to them, you want to make sure anything they do read resonates with them in a good way. That means not just picking a selection of content that would be relevant, but the quality of the content itself. If you are a good writer and you have the time to create new content frequently, that can work for you. However, if that’s not the case you can hire out the task to either a freelance or an in-house writer. That way you know the job is being done right, and that the content your customers and potential customers are reading is going to be attractive, valuable, and another way to make your company look good.
 

3. Be An Advocate

Is there a cause that matters to your customers and the kinds of people you want to be your customers? Does that cause matter to you, as well? If so, you’re in luck. Being an advocate for something can really draw people to you. But it’s important to realize that not everyone will believe in that cause, and that insincerity can show very easily. If you don’t really believe in what you’re saying, it’s probably better if you stay off of the advocacy on social media. You may also want to do some research into your cause before you start advocating for it, because you could risk losing customers if you take too much of a stance on something that is generally unpopular. With a little research and care, though, being an advocate can be an excellent way to draw in customers who think the way you do.
 

4. Provide Feedback

If people reach out to you on social media, what do you do? Do you answer them, or just ignore it and keep posting on your own schedule? If you aren’t providing feedback to customers who reach out, at least most of the time, you’re missing out on a big opportunity to talk to the kinds of people who keep your business going. Be responsive. It’s not always easy, especially if you’re busy or if a customer has taken to social media to voice a complaint or be rude to your company or a member of your staff. No matter whether you think a customer is right or wrong, though, you can still show that customer and other people that you do respond to your customers, and that you are listening. That acknowledgement can go a very long way toward increasing your conversions.
 

5. Pay Attention to Response Times

When you respond to people on social media, you should do it in a timely manner. If you take days or weeks to get back to a question or complaint, the customer may have forgotten all about it, or already chalked it up to another company that doesn’t care about them. When you do answer, people can view that as too little, too late. To keep yourself out of that camp, take some time to comb through your social media a couple of times per day, if possible, and answer people or respond to comments. You may need to hire a social media person specifically to keep up with things, especially if your company is growing or there are a lot of people reaching out to you. When you want to keep conversion numbers going up, response times on social media can really matter.
 

6. Consider Your Level of Political Correctness

Being PC is important in a world that is becoming increasingly intolerant of people speaking their mind in ways that are impolite and detrimental to others. However, you also want to show that your company is operated by real human beings. There is a delicate balance to be had between political correctness and being honest. In generally, it is often better to steer away from religion and politics, unless you are specifically in one of those areas of life with the business you have. Racial issues are also a concern for businesses, as are the ways in which a business reacts and responds to comments. Think about how you want to represent your company on social media before you start posting, and that can help you avoid mistakes that might hurt your conversion rate.

It is generally not that difficult to help people find your company on social media, but what they see once they find you requires more care and thought. A social media strategy that you have thought out and planned out before implementing is among the best ways to be sure that you won’t make a serious misstep. While it is still possible that you will make a mistake on social media, the risk is reduced when you have a good plan. If you do make an error, apologize. Companies that apologize sincerely for their errors, and that do so quickly, can make amends and avoid losing customers more easily, so it is well worth the time and effort.

Signature Designs has the knowledge and the capabilities to handle your social media channels. We have the dedicated personnel that can work with you to develop and implement a well thought out social media marketing plan tailored to your business or industry.