You’ve probably heard or read something on how important it is for your business to have an active social media presence. For those who haven’t – it’s SOOO important to be on social media as it’s now one of the most vital parts of the marketing mix. You can read about the five business benefits here.
However, to make an impact that will benefit you and your business, you need to make sure you’re an active user – if you’re not, then there’s no real point in being on there is there?
Research from MYOB has found that businesses active in social media are more likely to increase revenue. But what is meant by the term ‘active’. Many of us still don’t quite get the concept – it took me a while! So I’m going to give you all the information you need to know about being active on social media.
What constitutes active?
Being active on social media is all about engaging with your audience. A great way to learn how to be active is to think of the three E’s – empower, entertain and educate. You should be aiming to share content that is based around these 3 concepts. And always remember to be consistent – keep your posts going at a regular basis.
But most importantly, being active is all about connecting your business with it’s customers. Make sure you emphasis how much you care about what they think, say and feel by sharing content that is relevant to them.
How much is too much?
When it comes to posting and sharing on social media, it’s important to get the balance correct. I’m sure we’ve all got that one person on Facebook who posts and shares incessantly which can be quite irritating. So how do we know when how much is too much?
The trick to social media is frequency and consistency – as long as the content is varied. When a friend or brand gets blocked (or hidden on Facebook), it’s not that the posts are too frequent – it’s because they’re too similar. Don’t post the same content over and over, mix it up a little and post content that’s varied and engaging.
When it comes to Facebook, did you know that the average lifespan of a Facebook post is 3 hours? Yep in 3 very short hours, you’re post will be toast! Facebook’s official recommendation is to post once per day – so my advice is to take their advice. They are the creators so they’d know what’s best.
Research by KissMetrics have also found that one post every two days, or 1-4 times a week generates the most engagement on Facebook.
When to post?
It’s important to catch your social media fans when they’re online. So when are the on? There are 3 hotspots during the day that are typically:
- First thing in the morning: 6-8am.
- Lunchtime: 1pm
- Evenings: 8-11pm
However, it all depends on who your customers are. If they’re business people, avoid posting from mid-morning to mid-afternoon – as they’re most likely working. If your customers are busy mums, avoid the school pick up hours.
So it’s vital for you to know what works best for your business – if your social media gets a huge response at one time and a poor at another, there’s your answer. But before picking the perfect posting time, it’s vital to measure and track your social media engagement to find out when it is.
How long should posts be?
Keep your posts short! If they’re too long, your audience is going to become disinterested and disengaged – exactly what you don’t want them to become!
KissMetrics has also found that posts with 80 characters or less generate 66% more engagement than those with more. They have also found that posts that include question generate double the number of comments – this will lead to some great discussion and engagement with your audience.
So all up, the key tips to being active on social media include:
- Post every second day
- Post varied content
- Post when traffic peaks
- Measure and trial what works best for you
- Keep it short and simple
- Ask questions to generate discussion
So there it is – it’s that easy!
If you have any more questions about social media or anything marketing, I’d love to hear from you. Give me a ring on (02) 9994 8005 or drop me a note.
