Most WTIA member companies have some online social presence. Whether it be a Facebook page, a Twitter feed, or a LinkedIn profile, something is going up on a wall somewhere. But, as a copywriter and social media consultant for the WTIA, I’ve seen that not all members are making the most out of their social media channels. I’d like to share a few tips and tricks that can boost that presence, connect you with current and potential clients, and take the guesswork out of what’s best for your company in this forum.

First, let’s start with a question.

What’s your end goal for your social media channels?

It’s important to identify why your company engages in social media. Are you there to sell your product? Is this a secondary customer service channel? Do you want to connect with your clientele? Is having your brand voice resonate as an industry leader important to you? There are a lot of reasons to create and maintain a social media presence, and it’s important to leverage those channels in a way that represents your company, its mission, and your purpose for being there.

Use it or lose it.

A dormant social media page makes your company look like it’s not paying attention. If your clients or potential customers see sporadic or infrequent posts they know there’s no one dedicated to the account and that attempts to contact you through this channel will fall on deaf ears; that doesn’t cut these days it if you want to be competitive.

Some say, “You have to feed the beast!”

One can also argue that, as a tech company, you should be available to people on their phones, tablets, laptops, wherever, whenever. Whether your focus is B2B or B2C, you need to be available.

It’s called SOCIAL Media for a Reason.

Social media engagement is a two-way street. The conversation starts with you listening to what your audience is saying.

business2community.com

Social media is a conversation, not a stump for calling out your story in hopes that people will gather to listen. Like anything social, interacting with the people who choose to connect with you—and with those you choose to connect with—is the name of the game! It’s also important to remember that followers are people, not inanimate 0’s and 1’s. Building a rapport with your audience is an effective way to create brand advocates, which will lead to conversions.

It’s worth the investment.

Did you know that analytics are built into your social channels? This information can tell you a lot about the people who are interested in your company. From demographics to purchasing habits, annual income, even occupation. Smart marketing uses this data to define and segment target markets, to recognize interests and activities of current and potential clients, and to maintain a conversation with the people who actively want to engage with you. (They’ve already ‘liked’ your page right? Give ‘em something to really like!)

Whether your investment is dedicated time on a daily or weekly basis, or hard, cold cash, if your goal is to make the most out of your social media presence invest in it.

Where to Start?

There’s a lot more to social media than what you might think. Engaging with audiences is a skill that many people don’t have: there’s a language and a strategy behind it that’s not inherent. That said, tens of thousands, even millions of marketing dollars go into social media marketing campaigns each year with high-profit margins.

Social Network Ad Spending to Hit $23.68 Billion Worldwide in 2015

Advertisers in North America spend the most to be social

eMarketer.com

If you want to get more tips and tricks on how to boost your social media channels, there are tons of great industry sites like Social Media Today and Social Media Examiner, and, of course, WTIA member company Moz, that can help you learn best practices, get updates, and make sure you start and stay on the right foot.

Don’t have the Time? Hire a Sellsword!

Your time is valuable, and learning the ins and outs of social media management, let alone the complex landscape of social media marketing, can be a time leech. Presumably, if your social channels aren’t up to snuff, you don’t have the internal capacity to ‘deal with it’. Hiring a social media consultant can be your key. Taking on a knowledgeable consultant can be a strategic and effective means of bolstering your company’s marketing and social media presence.

A social media consultant can

• Audit your channels
• Define your brand voice
• Optimize page content
• Build your audience
• Develop strategies
• Create engaging content
• Run your campaigns
• Report analytics

You don’t have to go the whole hog on this. Most social media consultants offer any combination of the above based on your company’s needs. And, because they’re experienced in all things social, you’ll save time and money, and set yourself up for success in the labyrinth of the social sphere.