Is your business active on social media? If it isn’t, it should be. But that’s for a different discussion. For those of you who are active, what activities to you undertake in social media?

It’s important to understand that social media in a business context is more than just a tool for advertising. Advertising is one-way communication. You send out a message in some form, you hope people see it and ultimately act upon it in some way.

However, social media is very much a two way communication tool. It is super easy to gather insights on what people are saying about you, and it provides you a platform to respond to comments.

So, if you are using social media solely as an advertising platform, you are doing it wrong. There are a number of activities you should undertake as part of your social media strategy that will help generate awareness, followers, and business.

Listen. Feedback from consumers is invaluable. Before social media, it was hard to hear what was being said about you. But not so much anymore! You should continually scan social media for any mentions to your business, good, bad, or neutral. That feedback could help you improve your operations, marketing, etc.
Respond. We as humans like interaction. This is no different in the social media space. When you see comments about your business, respond to them. Customers like to know that they are being heard. If someone makes a positive comment, thank them. If someone makes a negative comment, apologize for whatever the problem is, and work with them to try to fix the situation. However, if the negative comment is absolutely incorrect, don’t be afraid to defend yourself….politely.
Entertain. This one is a little weird, but let me explain. Some of the most popular business social media accounts out there belong to companies who bring it upon themselves to go beyond straight up trying to promote their products. They crack jokes, make random references, and respond in a humorous way to consumer or competitor social media posts. For a good example of this, check out the Twitter account of Wendy’s. The attention that Wendy’s attracts for its quirkiness is great for business.

This all sounds like a lot of work, doesn’t it? Well, that’s because it is. You’ll need to designate someone to be in charge of your accounts. You’ll also need to specify a plan of action, e.g. how often to check the accounts, when to respond, how to respond, etc. If you can figure out how to work this into your day to day operations, it’ll improve your presence in the social media world and likely help your bottom line.