Top 7 Frequently asked questions with Social Media
----
Are you just getting started with social media? While we are always happy to help, we have put together the top 7 of our most frequently asked questions to help you start Turning Social Into Sales.
Q: Which social media should my brand be present on?
A: It depends.
Just because you can create your brand a profile on any platform, does not mean it makes sense to do so.
The platforms your brand joins on social should depend on a couple of things: your goals for social media and your ideal client profile. Whether you are a hairstylist or a financial advisor, your ideal client is most definitely on social media. The question remains to which platform they are most active on and where your message is most relevant.
For example, LinkedIn’s platform hosts a lot of successful CEOs, entrepreneurs, and professionals sharing content including success stories, long-form articles, and market updates. This is a great platform for lead generation as well as establishing your brand as a source of information.
Instagram hosts tons of millennials sharing what they are eating, pictures from trips, and what they are listening to. Twitter is full of fun accounts tweeting multiple times a day with trending hashtags, news, and memes. Instagram and Twitter are great for branding, but not so much for lead generation.
Then there’s Facebook which has everyone and their mother on the platform (and your grandma and your weird aunt). In our opinion, there is no brand that cannot succeed on Facebook because every kind of person is on the platform. It can be great for lead generation via its advertising platform but is also great for brand awareness!
Take a look at your goals for social and your target audience and join the platforms that make the most sense.
Q: What’s the best time of day to post?
A: Again. It depends.
Beating the algorithm is always top of mind for social media users. That’s why the age-old question ‘what’s the best time of day to post?’ is so frequently asked. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn all have unique algorithms that work towards (or against in most cases) getting more eyes on your content. We have a blog that outlines each platform’s algorithm, check it out here.
Across different sources, a common theme is that the best time of day to post on social media is earlier in the day (before noon) on weekdays, and later in the afternoon (after 3pm) on the weekends. This can vary, obviously, by platform and content type. It is always a good practice to take a look at your analytics and see if you notice any trends between time posted and content performance!
Q: How often should I be posting?
A: It depends on the platform.
We all know consistency is key on social media, but how consistent do you really have to be? It depends on the platform. On Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we typically recommend you post once a day. On Twitter, to see real success, you need to be tweeting several times a day.
Q: What kinds of content should I be posting?
A: A blend of promotional and engaging content.
In the marketing world, there is a rule for your posting strategy called ‘The 80/20 Rule’. The 80/20 rule basically states that 20% of your content should promote your brand, product, or service and 80% of your content should be dedicated to content that interests your audience or engages conversation.
At the end of the day, you are on social media to promote your brand, but your followers did not sign up to follow your infomercial. By posting content that your ideal client or customer would be interested in, you not only see an increase in engagement, but you will also establish yourself as an industry leader.
Here are some content ideas to incorporate into your social strategy.
A: Stay consistent, use paid advertising, and give people a reason to want to follow you.
That’s it! It is really that simple.
People are more than willing to follow an account that is going to benefit them. If you are posting content that is engaging, interesting, and useful, then your follower count will most likely reflect that.
Of course, on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, the algorithm is going to force you to pay to play. Try throwing some marketing dollars at your posts on Facebook and Instagram to boost their performance. Don’t know where to start with paid social? We have several blogs all about Boosting and Facebook Advertising on our blog.
There are even more ways to grow your following without spending money. Check out our blog here.
Q: What’s the difference between a story and a post?
A: A post stays on your profile while a story is only available to view for a limited time.
We get this question ALL OF THE TIME! Ephemeral content, or content only accessible for a brief period of time, is a huge trend on social that will not be slowing down anytime soon. With its inception at Snapchat, stories have spread to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, and even Twitter is getting in on the action.
Businesses have seen how popular stories have gotten within the social media world, so it only makes sense for them to hop on the bandwagon themselves. On the other hand, Social media users love stories because it allows them to communicate, engage, as well as see and share personal content.
For ways you can implement ephemeral content into your strategy, click here.
Q: Can I use social media in my industry?
A: Yes.
Everyone, everywhere is on social media! So, if your business or brand has an ideal customer or client, you can use social media for the betterment of your business. The key is figuring out where your ideal client/customer scrolls, and how to put your brand in front of them in a way that makes it easy to follow along. Unless your higher-ups have a strict ‘No Social Media’ policy, your brand can benefit from a social presence.
----
Are you just getting started with social media? While we are always happy to help, we have put together the top 7 of our most frequently asked questions to help you start Turning Social Into Sales.
Q: Which social media should my brand be present on?
A: It depends.
Just because you can create your brand a profile on any platform, does not mean it makes sense to do so.
The platforms your brand joins on social should depend on a couple of things: your goals for social media and your ideal client profile. Whether you are a hairstylist or a financial advisor, your ideal client is most definitely on social media. The question remains to which platform they are most active on and where your message is most relevant.
For example, LinkedIn’s platform hosts a lot of successful CEOs, entrepreneurs, and professionals sharing content including success stories, long-form articles, and market updates. This is a great platform for lead generation as well as establishing your brand as a source of information.
Instagram hosts tons of millennials sharing what they are eating, pictures from trips, and what they are listening to. Twitter is full of fun accounts tweeting multiple times a day with trending hashtags, news, and memes. Instagram and Twitter are great for branding, but not so much for lead generation.
Then there’s Facebook which has everyone and their mother on the platform (and your grandma and your weird aunt). In our opinion, there is no brand that cannot succeed on Facebook because every kind of person is on the platform. It can be great for lead generation via its advertising platform but is also great for brand awareness!
Take a look at your goals for social and your target audience and join the platforms that make the most sense.
Q: What’s the best time of day to post?
A: Again. It depends.
Beating the algorithm is always top of mind for social media users. That’s why the age-old question ‘what’s the best time of day to post?’ is so frequently asked. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn all have unique algorithms that work towards (or against in most cases) getting more eyes on your content. We have a blog that outlines each platform’s algorithm, check it out here.
Across different sources, a common theme is that the best time of day to post on social media is earlier in the day (before noon) on weekdays, and later in the afternoon (after 3pm) on the weekends. This can vary, obviously, by platform and content type. It is always a good practice to take a look at your analytics and see if you notice any trends between time posted and content performance!
Q: How often should I be posting?
A: It depends on the platform.
We all know consistency is key on social media, but how consistent do you really have to be? It depends on the platform. On Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we typically recommend you post once a day. On Twitter, to see real success, you need to be tweeting several times a day.
Q: What kinds of content should I be posting?
A: A blend of promotional and engaging content.
In the marketing world, there is a rule for your posting strategy called ‘The 80/20 Rule’. The 80/20 rule basically states that 20% of your content should promote your brand, product, or service and 80% of your content should be dedicated to content that interests your audience or engages conversation.
At the end of the day, you are on social media to promote your brand, but your followers did not sign up to follow your infomercial. By posting content that your ideal client or customer would be interested in, you not only see an increase in engagement, but you will also establish yourself as an industry leader.
Here are some content ideas to incorporate into your social strategy.
- Articles and blog posts
- Reviews of your product/service
- Industry news
- Employee highlights
- Polls
- Upcoming events
- Fun GIFs
- Short-form video content
- Contests and giveaways
- Tips and tricks
- Infographics
A: Stay consistent, use paid advertising, and give people a reason to want to follow you.
That’s it! It is really that simple.
People are more than willing to follow an account that is going to benefit them. If you are posting content that is engaging, interesting, and useful, then your follower count will most likely reflect that.
Of course, on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, the algorithm is going to force you to pay to play. Try throwing some marketing dollars at your posts on Facebook and Instagram to boost their performance. Don’t know where to start with paid social? We have several blogs all about Boosting and Facebook Advertising on our blog.
There are even more ways to grow your following without spending money. Check out our blog here.
Q: What’s the difference between a story and a post?
A: A post stays on your profile while a story is only available to view for a limited time.
We get this question ALL OF THE TIME! Ephemeral content, or content only accessible for a brief period of time, is a huge trend on social that will not be slowing down anytime soon. With its inception at Snapchat, stories have spread to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, and even Twitter is getting in on the action.
Businesses have seen how popular stories have gotten within the social media world, so it only makes sense for them to hop on the bandwagon themselves. On the other hand, Social media users love stories because it allows them to communicate, engage, as well as see and share personal content.
For ways you can implement ephemeral content into your strategy, click here.
Q: Can I use social media in my industry?
A: Yes.
Everyone, everywhere is on social media! So, if your business or brand has an ideal customer or client, you can use social media for the betterment of your business. The key is figuring out where your ideal client/customer scrolls, and how to put your brand in front of them in a way that makes it easy to follow along. Unless your higher-ups have a strict ‘No Social Media’ policy, your brand can benefit from a social presence.
