Whether it is for your business or to put yourself out there it is essential to maximize your social media platform to fit best your image or the image of your brand. Social media is the avenue in which many businesses and entrepreneurs find success in their outreach and image. Learn how you can make the most out of your social media and grow within any field you’d like.
Why it is important
Social media is simply the quickest and most efficient way word travels. So it is important to choose your words carefully. It is always good to have a friend or team look over your posts to ensure your sending the right message.
“If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy online, they can each tell 6,000 friends.” -Jeff Bezos
This quote is true without any exaggeration. Any mistake or success a business or individual has in front of an online audience is spread to many more within a click of a button. This works out extremely well when you are just starting because, with enough clicks, you could go viral.
Going Viral
Going viral is one of the first things that people think of when they imagine social media success. It is a common misconception that a viral post instantly makes someone an influencer or creator. This is untrue in many cases and the steps after a post goes viral are extremely important when the goal is to grow and make a name for yourself in the social media environment.
Many people who have a post go viral, are unsure what to do next with their newfound attention. You must maintain any attention your profile, video, or post receives.
Think about why someone should care about what you or your business has to offer. What attracts the most attention on any social media platform is uniqueness. If you offer something that the community has never seen before and cannot see anywhere else then you start to grow an audience.
Finding Your Niche
Finding your niche is what sets you apart in any social sphere. When it comes to social media, it can be very difficult to see what sets you and your business apart from the sea of others on social media. This is where a plan comes into play. You must decide what platform will benefit you and your image the most. Where will your online audience mainly be?
Take into account the age demographic, interests, and online presence of the audience you want to make content for. For example, if you own a T-shirt business and your target demographic is teens and young adults you would put effort into an Etsy, Tiktok Shop, or Depop profile. This is because those three online spaces are popular amongst teens and young adults, a space where shoppers and clothing designers frequent, and could be a starting ground for your own business to flourish.
Be In Touch
To find success on social media you need to stay in touch with your audience and their interests. The good part about social media is it allows a connection to your audience, unlike any other arrangement. Where physical businesses often have a middleman marketing and creating an image that both aligns with the company and caters to the audience, an online business is constantly seeing and interacting with its audience making the connection between influencer/business to customer so much more tight-knit. Being in touch with one’s audience is what builds trust and bonds. This makes it easier to provide what people are looking for and profit from hard work.
Also ensure you are calculating the best time to post.The algorithm on most social media websites is a well organized system and there are right and wrong times to put out a post. For more information check out this article here.
Negative Feedback and Bad Publicity
Like Bezos said, just as quickly as good news and positive attention can spread, so can mistakes. Posting seems like an easy feat. It is quick and many of us posts without giving it much of a second thought, however when you are trying to grow on social media, posts should be planned out and professional while also sometimes relatable and vulnerable.
There is a sweet spot in your gallery of posts that should allow the audience to relate and care for you and your business, but also see that you are honest and true to your image and personal brand. When a post or action you make goes against what your audience knows of you, that is when negativity can follow. It is important to always remain mindful and considerate of your image and what you put out on the internet.
Wrapping up
Social media is the “It Girl” when it comes to the growth of a business or personal influence. It is quick and effective, offering the chance to reach millions of people. There is great power within the realm of social media and when you achieve any amount of attention whether it be followers, likes, comments, or shares you must have a plan for how you can market yourself and what your newfound audience values to make the most of your social media.
