Unsocial Media

If I am to be completely honest, I had been turned off to the idea of social media as a marketing tool. I am not an avid social media user, and so in my own experience, I really hate when the little time I used is grabbed up by ads and sales.

But a closer evaluation makes me realize I really only use social media for one thing: time wasting. On purpose! This is why as a consumer, I want to cut as much time out of it as possible, but as a business manager, I really understand its potential!

The idea boils down to one word: share. Share and share alike is the motto of social media, and if you can get your product to be the thing shared, then imagine the exposure. It just means that you really need to understand what you are wanting to post.

First off, it needs to be engaging so that people have a desire to share it. If your post does not stick out, it is definitely going to be lost in the crowd. Even worse, if it is not formulated correctly, the social media engine you are using can even push it down under the waves (think of how Facebook has changed their policy to dissuade business ads to show up on users feeds). Make sure that it is attention grabbing and has a call to action.

Secondly, you need to make sure you are reaching the right demographic. Otherwise, you are going to run into the same problem I was having as a consumer: it is a detraction instead of an attraction. Take the time to determine the best social media engine for you to use. Figure out your target demographic and find out what they use.

Lastly, realize that the social media engines are designed for different and specific purposes. This is why it is great to be connected to more than one. It is true that some might not be the right fit for your business, but do not limit yourself to just one! Use one to (mainly) promote your goodwill, another to promote your products, and a third to promote yourself.

Taking these three steps into context, take the time to plan out your social media platform. Once you have done that, share, share, share!