Social Media has become one of the defining developments of the 21st century, and love it or hate it, it’s not going away anytime soon. More than 70% of U.S. adults are active daily participants in some form of social media, whether it be Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc. The question is – is your business tapping in on that market?
There’s more to social media management than just creating a Facebook page with your business information. Social Media isn’t a directory, and it’s not a field of dreams.
You can’t just build a page and expect the business to come. You have to be active, pro-active, and re-active.
Building Your Social Media Presence in Tulsa
Nozak Consulting’s Social Media Management team will get you set up on all the latest sites, and there are many. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, Tumblr, Snapchat, Google+, Flickr, Reddit, Periscope, StumbleUpon, and new ones are coming out every month.
There are far too many sites for any one person to maintain while also trying to build and grow a business.
The more sites your business is set up on, the more clients you’ll reach, and the more money you’ll make. You need to meet your customers where they’re at. Location, location, location is as important on the internet as it is in real estate.
People should be able to access your business information on their preferred site.
Not only do you need to be set up on all these sites, but they need to be integrated as well. Linking them all together builds your footprint on the web and increases your authority and legitimacy.
Maintaining Your Social Media presence
Creating social media accounts is only the beginning of the equation. You also need to be proactive in posting engaging content and maintaining your presence.
Many of the larger sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, have built-in analytics that show you your weekly reach and engagement. Stop posting for a few days and watch how quickly your site traffic tanks.
No matter what your business is, you need to be posting something. If you’re a shop, you can post a deal-of-the-day, new products, etc. If your services are something a little less tangible, then share articles relating to your field. There’s always something you can be doing, and if your creative juices aren’t flowing, then let Nozak Consulting help you!
Protecting Your Social Media Presence
Controversy can arise out of anything, and on social media it can spread like wildfire. It’s easier to go viral for bad reasons than for good reasons, and you need to be prepared and quick to respond to any negative situation.
All it takes is one disgruntled former employee, dissatisfied customer, or dirty competitor to spread misinformation about your business and irreparably harm your community image. People often don’t wait for the full story or the fact-checkers before sharing a negative post and bashing an organization.
Take a look at this story from Owasso that made international news for the Police Department’s quick handling of a potentially negative situation. Most negative reviews won’t be outright false, and rarely will they warrant the wit of the Owasso PD, but the point is that you always need to be quick to respond to any negative accusations.
The advent of the web has allowed non-confrontational people to post complaints online rather than address them in person. If you don’t have an active social media presence, then you risk losing existing and potential customers.
First impressions are everything, and everybody has off days. If a person’s first time at your establishment happens to be the day that a pizza gets overcooked or a snow cone is made too sloppy, they may not come back. Responding to their three-star review with an apology and gift certificate can not only cause them to give you a second chance, but can also impress others who read the review.