Creating an Effective Social Media Presence Online
Social media marketing can be a powerful branding tool for your business if used correctly and this all starts with the way you represent your business online using these tools. Here are a few tips to help ensure you have a strong presence that brings in the business you desire.
Social Media Marketing and Branding Begins with Your Social Profiles
Before you are able to use social media websites you will generally need to create a social profile. This may be a personal profile or a business profile, but whichever it is, if you are looking for a strong branding image in social media then you will want to ensure that your profile looks professional – at least to your professional contacts and potential clients. For sites such as Facebook where you may be using your profile on both a business and personal level consider either setting up different profiles or using lists to indicate who sees what and ensuring that your professional contacts don’t see a page full of games and social activity which you may choose to show to your personal contacts.
Linking Your Profiles and Accounts
Linking your different social media profiles and accounts can help you to get a stronger presence without taking up too much time. There are many different tools and applications available to do this. You can share your tweets on Facebook or update Twitter from your Facebook account; share your social bookmarks in your Facebook profile; link various different social networks together, etc.
Make Your Website Social Media Friendly
Use ‘like’ and ‘share’ buttons on your articles and blog posts to encourage people to share this on their social profiles. Advertise your social accounts on your website and blog so that people can be your friend on the various different social networks and so get more exposure to your brand. Integrate your website with sites such as Facebook – allowing people to log in to your website using Facebook, comment from your website on Facebook, etc. This way their friends will also be encouraged to visit your website.
Dealing with Compliments and Criticism Online
One thing about social media is that it has also made it a lot easier for people to talk about your website online – both positively and negatively. If you want to develop a strong brand then you should also be aware of what other people are saying and react positively towards it. Thank people for recommending your site and if you receive criticism then be sure to hear what they are saying and try using it to improve your website, thank them for the feedback and let them know how you are using their criticism to improve your business.
Branding has always been an important part of marketing a business and social media has greatly expanded your ability to brand yourself online. Be sure that you create a social media friendly website and plenty of linked social profiles. Don’t be afraid of receiving criticism but use feedback, whether positive or negative, to your advantage and to improve your business for more clients.
