American songwriter, blues singer, and record producer Shawn Amos once said, “Social media is social. We’re looking to touch one heart at a time with one great story at a time.”
Does that mean we should roll out the red carpet for every self-proclaimed social media expert who can post the perfect selfie on Instagram or use trending hashtags on Twitter?
#ProbablyNot
While there isn’t one specific characteristic that defines a social media rock star, this person should be an effective communicator and able to juggle the roles of relationship manager, photographer or video editor, writer, customer support agent and strategizer or analyst.
The ever-changing landscape of social media can be challenging, exciting and rewarding, but researching new trends can help grow your brand and engage your audience.
Be Open and Transparent
Followers notice honesty/dishonesty in social media. If you are commenting on your work at a specific company, identify yourself as an employee and make sure your posts/comments are consistent with your work, the organization’s mission statement, and its core values. The best benefit of social media is the authentic interaction between a company and consumers.
Use good judgment
Content should always be factual, and all claims legitimate. Social media is public and once you reveal information, there’s no pulling it back. Posting confidential information about your company on social media will most likely land you in line at the unemployment office instead of a corner office with a view.
Communicate, communicate, and communicate!
It is key to effectively communicate your plans regarding strategy and content distribution, and how these plans will enhance your clients’ brand. This includes simplifying complex information and sharing that information with audiences across multiple channels. Develop brand guidelines for a brand voice. You’ll most likely want to avoid using formal or overly technical language.
Creativity goes a long way
Social media rock stars must strike the right balance between being strategic, analytical, innovative, and creative. Be mindful of your organization’s distribution policies and guidelines, and the impact the content will have on a company’s business and customers. Don’t publish content just for the sake of putting information out there. The best-crafted messages aren’t the ones you like best; they’re the ones that best resonate with your audience.
Don’t be afraid to take risks
Success comes after many failed attempts. The key is learning from those failures. One of the best qualities of a social media rock star is a willingness to try and test anything. Learn the value of A/B testing to see how different content styles, images, tones or formats will best suit the message.
Own up to your mistakes
In the event you make a mistake, you must own it. Follow these simple steps: acknowledge it, apologize for it, correct it, and make yourself available to answer more questions. These mistakes can be typos or more severe errant messages. Proofing before you post is a must. Take a minute to review your message for things such as consistency, grammar, relevance, and value.
It’s all about your audience
Your messaging won’t connect if you don’t understand your audience. It’s important to listen and understand the concerns, needs, and feedback of your clients. Your strategy should include guidelines for tracking customer feedback, monitoring response times and measuring the impact of your posts. Stay on the forefront of new trends and explore ways to evolve your client’s social media.
Do you need help mastering social media? At Katie Wagner Social Media, we offer workshops that will have rocking your social channels like a pro in no time.
