Facebook. Twitter. Instgram. Many of us use these social media platforms to share our personal lives with family and friends. But what about for business? Is social media really an ideal way to get your business name out there and attract more customers?
Social media specialist Claire Killeen thinks so. In fact, she’s so obsessed with using social media to advance business efforts that she does it for a living.
“Social media should be an integral part of any marketing plan,” says Claire. “It’s an incredibly accessible medium with a very widespread audience, but also offers an unparalleled opportunity to create highly targeted advertising campaigns.
People are using their social media accounts umpteen times every day. It’s on their computers, tablets and mobile phones. They access it at home and at work. And if you continually show up as being an expert in your field, the results can be fantastic.”
It’s not, however, a quick and easy route to success. Claire adds that without understanding and choosing the right platforms, and having a strategic plan in place, the results could be hours upon hours of wasted time and money.
“You must know what you want to achieve (what does success look like?) and what you need to do to get there.
Social media gives businesses the opportunity to humanise themselves – to be authentic, have fun and demonstrate the knowledge they have in their field. Without a plan to touch people’s hearts and reach them on a personal level, an attempt at a social media campaign is all but useless.”
She also mentions the convenience of using new platforms such as Facebook Live to save time and money. Facebook Live allows you to share videos with people in real time, and can be incredibly useful for certain businesses (i.e.: real estate agents conducting an open house).
So what are Claire’s top tips for making social media work for business?
“First, understand the platform. Not just how it works, but how and why people use it.
Second, have a plan. How are you going to reach people on a personal level? How are you going to engage them and stay top-of-mind? What will your content provide for them?
Third, stay on top of it. Post regularly, and track your progress: from where you began to where you want to go, and everything in between.
If you follow these rules, you’ll be well on your way to creating a social media account that offers the reach and return on investment you truly desire.”
To talk to Claire about your business’s social media needs, call her on 0439 430 366 or check out her profile at Rachel Ziv.
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