5 Ways to Revitalize Your Social Media Presence

Feel like you’re on a social media treadmill? Going through the motions but not moving forward? Step off with these tips.

Stuck in a social media rut? You’re updating your blog and your Facebook and Twitter pages, listening to web-based conversations and developing relationships, but it all feels rote and stale.

So ask for help, plan ahead and have some fun with your social content.

Formalize your editorial calendar. Schedule periodic meetings and invite interested employees. Your calendar doesn’t have to be carved in stone during this brainstorming session; some of your content will be spontaneous, like special promotions, random questions for followers or the occasional tooting of your own horn. But do:

  • Decide on the approximate frequency of updates.
  • Discuss potential keywords, calls to action, blog post titles, etc.
  • Schedule videos, webinars, podcasts, ebooks and photo albums.
  • Ask individuals to take on responsibility, but designate a coordinator.
  • Create scheduling spreadsheets in Google Docs to accommodate collaboration and accountability.

Redouble your efforts to respond. Gartner, Inc. reported recently that by 2014, customers will be as upset with organizations that don’t respond to them on social media as they are with those that don’t return phone calls or answer letters today. Develop a set of rules that dictates when a response is warranted, who is responsible and what action is necessary.

Delight your audience with bonuses. Admit it: We all like free stuff. You can make freebies available to everyone or award them as contest prizes. They could range from the useful (e-books focusing on common problems-and-solutions) to the promotional-but-useful (office tools, card cases, flashlights, etc. with your name and logo printed on them) to the whimsical (think fuzzy dice if you’re a car parts dealer or a funky reading glass chain if you’re an optometrist).

Add some sizzle if your product offerings are less-than-fascinating. Own an HVAC contracting business? Readers will want content on seasonal maintenance, landscaping for energy efficiency and what the heck is a ductless mini-split, anyway? But some levity, light-heartedness and personal anecdotes won’t come amiss. Ask your technicians for funny stories they could share about installation and service visits (with the homeowners’ permission).

Create interesting, easy-to-read, visually appealing text,  Attention-grabbing graphics are especially important for you, as is a friendly, conversational style that addresses the readers and does not throw around technical jargon.

Publish off-topic content. Everyone goofs off online sometimes. Posting your reaction to a movie or local restaurant or event reveals something personal about you, which enriches your social sharing. And it can spark a conversation that eventually comes back to your company’s wares.

Tell a tale about a trying experience with an airport ticket agent and encourage participants to talk about customer service expectations. See a particularly unfortunate wardrobe choice on the street? Describe it, and ask people where they shop for clothes, and about problems they have ordering apparel online. Tell them how your online storefront helps prevent the need for frequent returns.

Bonus tip: Need professional help? Get top-notch marketing support from Nimble partner HubSpot.

Stock photos courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net