The Social Media Blues and How to Cure Them
Our new Social Media Marketing Intern, Cierra Lee has written her first article for the ASU Small Business Blog and is on her favorite subject: Social Media Marketing. Don’t let the title scare you…there is no virus to get on your computer…instead she means mistakes your small business may be making with Social Media and…the CURE…
by Cierra Lee, Marketing Intern for the Arkansas State University Small Business and Technology Development Center…Serving up the Cure for Social Media Blues from the Delta to the Ozarks.
If your business is not reaping the rewards of social media marketing and all its glory, you may have contracted something I would like to call the social media virus. It’s a silent killer of most small businesses, quickly leading a company’s internet presence to a painful demise. Though sneaky and often undetectable, the social media virus has several tell, tell symptoms in which you can use to determine your business’s social media marketing effectiveness.
V: Symptom: Low Visibility
Causes: There is no way you can play the game if you’ve never even came up to bat. How can users connect with you if you’re not on the radar?
Treatment: Get connected. Set up your company Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and any other social media sites relevant to your company’s inbound marketing plan A.S.A.P.
I: Symptom: Little to No Interaction
Causes: Not allowing or fostering conversation among users is tragic. Trust me, if you are not positively engaging users, someone will be sure to inject some negativity.
Treatment: Engage. Companies must enable all the features on their social media websites that allow users to interact with each other as well as with company representatives. Get a blog set up. Ask questions on message boards and encourage feedback to get people talking.
R: Symptom: Lack of Resources
Causes: Selling is the goal but too much promotion can seem pushy. Social media websites are fun places for people to interact and share information (for free). Not being a reference or providing resources relevant to your company’s culture can make your page seem just like another advertisement.
Treatment: Provide users with resources. If you are a pet store, provide links to the coolest dog parks or tips for preparing for veterinarian visits. Establish your company and your site manager as an expert in your field. Users will see this as caring and useful, and want to revisit and, yes, eventually use your products and/or services.
U: Symptom: User Unfriendliness
Causes: Nothing is worse than going on a website and not being able to access quick links or even worse, having to decipher through tons of unorganized and random articles, photos and blogs.
Treatment: Organize information. Keep in mind that much like in person, your social media site must make a positive first impression. Make sure that links and navigating are user-friendly and that your page is clean and exciting.
S: Symptom: Failure to Socialize
Causes: The biggest ‘Whoooooa, Nelly!’ of social media marketing is neglect. The only thing worse than not being viral is being dormant. The latest news should not be confused with the oldest news. Who cares about deals you had in 2010? No one even cares about deals from 10 days ago.
Treatment: Socialize (present tense). To avoid being overlooked and long forgotten, set up a schedule to connect with users on your social media sites. Update twice a week at the least with relevant information.
For those of us who have contracted the social media virus, don’t worry! There is still hope. So before just rolling over and dying, here are few small business social media success stories. These businesses have managed to survive and thrive on their social media networks. Take a quick look at this article by Phil Mershon from Social media Examiner “9 Small Business Social Media Success Stories” that should provide some inspiration!
Prevention, however, is the most effective defense against the social media virus. You must stay on top of social media trends in small business in order to ensure that your target market stays connected with you. Let the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center be your doctor and sign up for Small Business training sessions today in our January-February Small Business Training Calendar.
Introduction to Social Media Marketing workshops coming to the ASU Newport Marked Tree campus in Marked Tree, AR on Thursday, February 2nd, and the Baxter County Library in Mountain Home on Tuesday, February 28th. Click on the links for mre information or to register.
And take a look below for a few resources to make sure that your social media marketing efforts remain healthy and strong. Nice article with resources Social Media Trends for Small Businesses from Social Media Examiner.
Want to learn how the Arkansas State University Small Business Center can help improve your Online Marketing? Contact one of our business consultants, Laura Miller or Robert Bahn (870) 972-3517 or email them at asusbtdc@astate.edu and find out how to take advantage of our free and confidential consulting assistance.
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