Don't forget the SOCIAL part of Social Media

Articles about social media strategy are everywhere. Read any one of them and you can get either really pumped to get a social media campaign going for your business or totally overwhelmed about how to make it happen.

Like anything else in marketing – before embarking on any campaign, there are a lot of things to consider. With social media in particular there are some real risks if you miscalculate your approach or under estimate your need for man hours to make it successful.

The power of social media is the SOCIAL component. This sounds like a no-brainer, but its something that a lot of companies forget.

For many companies, the goal of social media should really be to interact with your audience in a meaningful way that strengthens your brand and builds awareness and trust.

Creating a social media campaign that provides value to your audience is key. And you want to post about things they are interested in!

Don’t build your campaign around posts that talk only about your business and the spiffy things you do… find or create other content that your audience and fans will find valuable.

Some examples:

• Share articles that relate to your industry
• Create helpful info-graphics that can be shared easily
• Share images that speak to your brand and mission
• Share quotes from others in the industry, from history or from members of your team that work to reinforce your mission

When you do talk about your business, use social media to showcase your company as trusted experts in your industry. Don't just spout about your awards, product launches and promotions.

• If you sell a product, think about sharing other related products that might appeal to the same customers. 
• If you make a product, think about sharing in progress images or videos that really show customers what it takes to get that product to market.
• Position your company and its employees and principles as experts, share their knowledge via blog posts, articles and thought leadership pieces. 
• And of course share your press releases, share great reviews, and awards that that you have received – but make sure that you have a balance of content types. 

Your results may vary depending on your industry and your audience but never forget that social media needs to be reciprocal in order to work well.

When someone comments, respond or say thank you. And do it within a reasonable amount of time – let them know you are paying attention, and appreciate their time.

Pose questions, INTERACT make it a meaningful as you can. Have someone on staff who understands the media and has the time to monitor the account(s).

And if you really get successful with it, think about investing in a social media management application (Like Hootsuite, Buffer or SproutSocial , which can help immensely with keeping everything organized.

Whatever you do… have a plan, stick to it and never leave your fans hanging. If they like what you have to offer, they will reward you with likes, comments and shares, making your reach broader with every click.