Social Media Management – Dos and Don’ts

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Social media management is a must for any small business with a social presence. Simply having a company page on popular networking sites isn’t enough – those profiles need to be managed if they are going to engage prospects, develop your brand, and keep customers satisfied. One viral comment is all that it takes to smear your good name!

There are many advantages to letting a professional company handle your social networking accounts. For one, they can free up your time to focus on other areas of your business, which can save you money. Another boon is their experience and savvy; they are familiar with the platforms and are in the loop about all the latest trends.

Additionally, social media management specialists are often connected to others in the industry, so you can grow your community quicker and reach new audiences.

Hiring a social manager is not for everybody, though. Some businesses do not have the budget, while others simply prefer to manage their own reputation.

If you fall into one of those categories, that is absolutely fine, but know that there are certain dos and don’ts that can have a major impact on your business…

Social Media Management: Dos and Don’ts

The Dos

1. Do identify and engage industry influencers. Influencers do just that, they influence others. Finding, following, and reaching out to them (try these tools) can boost your marketing efforts and help you become and influencer, too.
2. Do engage fans and followers. Engaging fans is an important part of social media management, and you need to be consistent. Audience engagement involves posting fresh content often and interacting with your audience, among other things.
3. Do follow the latest trends. On social networks, things change from one day to the next. What are people talking about today? What’s the latest news or trend? Knowing these things can reveal lucrative opportunities and keep your company relevant.
4. Do track social media metrics. Tracking important data like reach, engagement, visitor frequency rate, and conversions gives you critical customer insights and helps you identify new opportunities. There are many good online tools available for this.

The Don’ts

1. Do not automate comment replies. This is probably one of the worst things that you can do. Scheduling posts ahead of time is fine, but robotic replies will get you un-liked and un-followed. Remember, it’s about building a community.
2. Do not answer comments, especially complaints. To build a social presence and gain loyal fans, you need to be responsive and show that you care. Leaving a negative comment unanswered for more than a few hours is a bad idea.
3. Do not delete negative comments. Social media management 101. This is the quickest way to infuriate a customer (or potential customer). Don’t delete the positive ones either. Bear in mind that the average social user has 100+ friends.
4. Do not attack fans when they leave negative comments. It may be tempting, but don’t, it’s unprofessional. Negative mentions are inevitable and can spiral out of control fast. Instead, let fans have their say and see it as an opportunity

Did we cover all the dos and don’ts of effective social media management? What did we miss? Do let us know in the comments below.