Why is it then that some businesses still allow staff with little business social media, PR or communications experience to manage their brand's social media platforms? If you want to drive footfall and increase your bottom line, read on...
Hands up who owns a saucepan that’s been used to rustle up a few culinary delights? Many of us, right? However, just because we know how to use a saucepan, does that make us Michelin star chefs? Of course it doesn’t.
The majority of people now use social media personally, but this doesn’t make you an expert in the social media field in the same way that owning a saucepan doesn’t make you a professional chef. Brand social media is completely different.
Let me explain further. If we go back 20 years, professional video production was a craft that was performed by those who had undergone years of training, with a good level of experience and knowledge on the craft. There was immense skill and years of honing one’s craft involved in creating truly compelling, engaging and technically sound video, for example perfectly lighting a scene to most effectively illuminate its subject, in recording crystal clear, high quality audio, and in crisp, sharp editing to set the tone of the video and achieve its primary objective.
These tasks used to require years of training and experience to master.
As technology costs dropped and the quality of this technology rose, more and more people started to create videos. The result of this was lower cost, but lower quality videos that did not effectively communicate the company’s message and in some cases were in fact detrimental to the brand through their lack of quality. So the main lesson that many businesses have had to learn the hard way, is that “you get what you pay for” and if you’re looking for results, it’s always best to opt for an expert.
Even though social media has been an integral part of most of lives for years, many businesses today still haven’t fully grasped the importance of social media to their business. Many businesses appoint an inexperienced member of staff, who in their eyes might be the most technically savvy, rather than hiring an expert who can deliver the results all businesses crave; footfall and growing the bottom line. During consultations, I have asked business owners if they would ever hire an unqualified electrician or an unqualified accountant. This is usually when the penny drops.
Social media is an immensely powerful tool that needs to be utilised professionally and consistently as part of an integrated marketing and PR strategy across all platforms. Having a marketing strategy for you business, of which social media is just one of several areas of attack, is critical to achieving long term, consistent results. This strategy should also incorporate PR as a means of building your brand and spreading your message to a new and wider audience. Remember, your online voice is your reputation 24/7. The key to such a plan is to identify the goal of your communications, to have a clear understanding of your product and what makes you unique. From a social media perspective, this is reflected in the tone of voice you use, the types of content that should be used, the specific platforms that best support your unique goal and your brand message, along with the frequency of your posts and the targeting of your social media adverts. Wording and images are also paramount in communicating your message and if executed correctly, can engage your target audience with your brand.
Business owners should also understand that brand social media marketing does not follow the theory of, “If you build it, they will come.” In other words, just because you’re posting to Facebook or Twitter, does not mean followers will flock to your business platforms. You have to develop a compelling strategy to tell your unique story, attract followers and grow your online audience, as well.
Developing and implementing these social marketing plans require trained and experienced professionals to ensure success, just as a set of detailed blueprints require an experienced architect to follow them in order to build a home.
Social media is a tool that is used to carry out your marketing plans and give a voice to your brand. Like a saucepan, anyone can use one, but trust me, you’ll want to hire an expert to see the best results.
Catherine Harland is Media & Communications Director of DigiPro Media, an integrated digital agency specialising in PR, web design, branding, marketing and social media management. For more information or to get in touch, visit digipromedia.co.uk or call 0191 6030091.
