Think through your social media use before you start. Here are my starter tips.

Your Market

Who is in your market? Really drill down and identify your market. Know your market by an avatar with a name, agem occupation, interests, needs and desires. Personalise your knowledge and understanding.

Is Your Market On Social Media

This just doesn’t mean Facebook. There is more to social media than Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. It can mean LinkedIn but beyond those there are many social platforms in use and vying for supremacy!

If you’re not sure whether your market is active online and engaging with social media – go searching. Do a Twitter search, look at Facebook groups, check out LinkedIn questions and answers.

Look at different social media demographics compared to the demographics of your market.

What Are You Looking To Achieve With Social Media

Too often I hear business saying they want a social media presence. They think getting onto social media will miraculously make everything else that isn’t working – work!

It won’t. The chances are it will just compound the mess and cost more money. You can effectively engage with your market on social media and drive them to your website but if you’re website isn’t working you might want to fix it first before driving more visitors to it.

Working? Converting searchers into clients or sales!

Have a Social Media Plan and Measure It

Social media is different from what most business is used to. It is not about selling but about engaging. It can build huge brand loyalty and trust. Know why you are using it and what you want to achieve. Develop a strategy to deliver it and how you will measure your success.