Member Article

Links, Likes or Conversions – What’s Your Social Media Content Goal?

Not knowing what you want to achieve with social media is as bad as ignoring it totally. The best social media campaigns always have set goals.

We all want to be liked. As author C. S. Lewis said, “…it is one of those things that give value to survival”. That’s all well and good in the “real” world, but when it comes to social media, does a “like” have any business value?

Well it depends on your goals. To implement any successful social media campaign, you have to know not only what you’re doing – this list of Tips for Community Managers will help you decide not only that but also why you’re doing it.

Yes, of course you need to determine your ROI – but, come on, it’s about more than attracting traffic to your site or making a sale. If you want something measurable, stick to the old tried-and-tested methods like email.

Never dismiss likes, retweets or user comments. Not only can they help you understand how people perceive your brand, but they can actually increase conversions – 33% of consumers are more likely to buy from a company if it has a Facebook page.

“When it is done well, it has very real business impact. We don’t measure that impact in ‘likes’ or ‘fans’ or retweets, we measure it in brand health and brand equity and people’s interest in going to purchase that brand.“James Quarles, Facebook’s regional director for Europe.

Don’t alienate your fans either – 53% of millennials use Facebook as a source of fun, so those continual sales messages and requests to input data are a total turn-off to most users.

The 70/30 Rule

So what’s a social media manager to do? The 70/30 approach will ensure that fans stay tuned AND that you increase conversions

70% of your updates should entertain

Gamification – the application of elements of game playing to other areas – is becoming more important in marketing. According to this Mashable article, gamification is readily applicable to social media marketing because people are seeking more reward and more engagement from experiences than ever before.

While you wouldn’t obviously post anything off brand, this is your chance to have fun and engage with your users. Post a funny photo that gets lots of likes, add a video that gets shared, or ask your followers to upload photos.

30% of your updates should inform

For the other 30% it’s time to don your business hat, so ensure you include links and requests for sign-ups – anything that directly drives your sales or data capture.

The Secret Formula

The key points to remember to ensure successful social media campaigns are:

• Be consistent: If you’re posting in a foreign language, for example, make sure your links go through to a website in that same language.
• Be honest: If you say something is free, make sure it is.
• Be inclusive: Social media is all about making a connection. If you ignore your fans, be prepared for them to ignore you.
• Be easy to consume: 71% of people consume social media on the run via their mobile phone – so think short, visual or both.

The bad news is: there’s no right way to create content. Social media platforms are constantly changing and goalposts are always moving. The best thing you can do is test, test and test some more.

• Do some social media networks work better than others?
• Do shorter updates get a better response?
• Does your tone of voice alter click-through rates?
• Will posting questions change the response you get?
• Does the day and time of your posts improve interactions?

Remember:

• Success will only come if you’re constantly analyzing what works.
• Be prepared to adapt and stay ahead of trends.
• If you’ve got followers, you’ve got a ready-made community. Work out what they want and ensure it’s aligned to your business goals and you’ve got the recipe for success.

To learn more about #TheSocialInfluencer and creating content for your social media marketing join in the LIVE GOOGLE HANGOUT DEBATE on Wednesday 24th September 2014 – just follow the link below to get involved!

https://plus.google.com/events/cc8i4gm8i74f8ndsckqar23l4rk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Bianca Pauna .