Should Your Business be Social?
As many as 63%* of online companies that incorporate social media tools in their marketing efforts see an increase in effectiveness, or even better, in the number of leads converted into revenue generating clients. Social media is an ever evolving online tool that can help businesses who are well informed and maintain their presence the right way. There are many different tools to help your firm easily interact through all mediums with consistency, and even determine how effective your efforts are. Although it’s generally recommended that every company maintain a social media presence, like anything in the online world, if you don’t learn how to use it effectively and keep it updated, it’s better to simply not have a presence.
Here are some points to keep in mind before setting out onto the social landscape:
- Be Knowledgeable – Ensure that you understand the purpose and differences of each social media platform to determine which one(s) are best suited for your firm, or even specific practice area.
- Strategize – Since social media for businesses is a very specific type of marketing, plan before taking action by knowing what goals you want to accomplish. Keeping your audience in mind, determine if engaging potential clients socially, is the best route for marketing your firm.
- Awareness – Remember that if a consumer lands on your Firm’s profile, they are surely visiting many others as well. Be mindful that your updates or posts should be informing visitors with valuable information they can’t find anywhere else.
- Quality over Quantity – If you find yourself updating your profile(s) with information for the sole purpose of having content, your profile will lack a personal impact and connection and perhaps even credibility.
Although there are countless different social media platforms to choose from, focus your attention on the four outlined below.
With over 1.28 Billion monthly active users, Facebook is the second most popular website in the world (behind Google), and the most popular social network overall. Beginning as an online community for college students, now over half of Facebook’s users are between the 26-64 age range. This has created a great opportunity to promote your firm through a network of potential clients of all ages who allow online sources to sway their decisions when choosing an attorney.
- Create a complete profile to earn trust
- Post your business’ updates and valuable information to establish credibility
- Join groups, connect to ‘friends’ or ‘fans’ with your common industry interests
- Integrate all social media accounts, blogs, newsletter, and more in one place!
*Source: www.mediabistro.com
Where Facebook has ‘likes’, Twitter uses ‘followers’. Twitter is a great social and micro blogging tool for sharing text-based only posts that include links and photos that are short, informative and easy to share – makings this particular social tool an easy way to create viral conversations and updates! With over 255 Million monthly active users** and 500 million Tweets sent per day it is a marketing platform that cannot be missed. Below are some of the main benefits of using Twitter as a social media platform:
- Branding – create recognition among potential clients
- Marketing – use accomplishments, offers, news and more to market your business to a large audience at no cost
- Reach – your followers can ‘retweet’ anything originally from you meaning posts can go viral with minimal effort
- Advice – even if you aren’t giving advice, imply that you can be a resource for your focused area of business/industry (Ex: “Looking for the best travel app? Download ours to stay connected on your travels…”)
**Source: http://mediabistro.com
While Facebook and Twitter may be used as a network where you combine both consumer and business marketing efforts, LinkedIn is the social media platform used primarily for business relationships. Created as a social network for professionals, LinkedIn makes it easy to keep your private life separate from your personal life. This is the place where you can connect with other businesses in the same industry area as you; connect with national and local entrepreneurs, organizations and more. Benefits to having a professional LinkedIn account for your business include:
- Increased visibility for your company and products
- The ability to research your competition, customers, or partners
- Easy collaboration with colleagues, customers, and industry thought leaders
- Excellent source of SEO-friendly links: LinkedIn has great authority in Google
A large majority of the online world has adapted to watching videos versus reading text online, not only because it’s easier and more convenient, but also many argue that a visual experience is a great way to instill a positive sense of comfort in consumers. Create a YouTube account for your firm today to:
- Increase leads and turn them into converted clients
- Remain technologically competitive
- Continue branding through different mediums
- Implement Search Engine Optimization through video into your online presence
Claim your Google Places listing and feature your business’ video there.
Need help getting started? Contact us today!
