Social Media To-Dos You Aren’t Doing

The Sprocket Report

This article has been updated on 5/23/2022 with the article entitled “Are You Doing Social Media Right and for the Right Reasons?”

Social Media Management is a hot service these days. Some folks swear by it. Some folks think it’s a complete waste of effort. And, of course, they’re both right. So how do you take advantage of the good things social media can do for your business without squandering your time or your marketing budget?

We believe that social media should be part of all marketing plans, with the emphasis on “part” and not forgetting to “plan.” For some companies, it will be a major part, but as social media doesn’t work the same for all industries, it may only be a minor part of another company’s marketing plan.

Restaurants, salons and other industries where repeat business is natural probably benefit most from social media as people will follow them to get coupons and sale announcements. But folks don’t buy a new roof every few weeks, so social media for a roofing company, while still important, is going to be very different.

So to make the most of your social media investment, keep these things in mind:

Provide a Viability Check
Prospective customers will research you online and being active on social media proves your company’s viability. You don’t have to post multiple times a day, but you don’t want months between posts either. Shoot for regular, informative and entertaining posts that say “We’re a real business.”

Find some Friends
Getting the right followers is the hardest part of social media marketing. The platforms don’t help out much since they’ll “suggest” followers based on your content and what’s the point of marketing to your competitors? You need to make an effort to look for your target market and invite them to follow you.

“Like” Industry Mentors
The easiest way to find informative and entertaining posts is to follow the mentors of your industry. Sharing their nuggets of wisdom along with a personal comment is a quick way to provide good content.  Also follow your local chamber of commerce to share news that will appeal to your geographic area.

Support Complementary Businesses
If you sell teapots and they sell tea cozies, you share the same target market. Comment on and re-post each other’s content so you’ll be visible to each other’s followers.

Drive Traffic to your Website
While it’s simple to share George Takei’s latest meme, he’s not selling your product or service. You should be sending followers to YOUR website. Of course, that means you’ll need to consistently update your site with content worth seeing. Blogs, white papers and event notifications all work well.

Be Social
It’s strange but true:  most businesses aren’t very social on social media. Instead they just broadcast, and even when people comment on a broadcast, some businesses don’t acknowledge them with a “thanks” or other reply. Ask questions, prompt opinions and take the time to reply.

Marketing has always been an art rather than a science and social media is no exception. You’ll have better success if you set realistic expectations, follow a plan and support your social media efforts with strong customer service and an effective website.

Websites we’ve been doing since 1992 and social media marketing since 2010, so bring us your questions. You know we’re always happy to help!

Kate GingoldKate Gingold

I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.

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Full biography

I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.

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