If a social media marketing program is a part of your small business growth plan, here are a few basics that will set you up for success. First, you’ll want a regular supply of fresh how to articles, and other original content published on your website or business blog.
Exceptional content is important because it helps customers find your business when searching online, more bloggers will link to great content (boosting your search rankings) and it encourages ‘sharing’ of valuable links back to your site.
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These basics will help you clear the decks and set your company up to become a team of social media marketing ninjas.
1. Ask your web developer to add a ‘content management system’ (CMS) capability to your company website. Content management makes it easy for non-technical people to add/update information and content on your website. It should be as easy as creating a Word document.
WordPress (not just for blogs) and Drupal software are my personal ‘content management’ favorites. I can’t program HTML on a bet, but I create and post website content without waiting for my web developer on a Drupal site. It’s as easy as publishing on this WordPress blog! You can read more about content management system options for small businesses here.
2. Make a list of topics that you are excited to write, blog, video and talk about.
3. Pull together a selection of good quality content you’ve previously created that you can ‘repurpose’ into shorter blog posts or how to articles, PowerPoint presentations, audio Podcasts or online videos.
3. Assign responsibility to the team members in your small business that will create new content.
4. Compile a list of partners, suppliers, and/or raving fan customers who are willing to help you produce exceptional content. They can be guest authors or co-authors of ‘how to’ articles, case studies or short (1-3 minute) online videos.
5. A weekly schedule for creating and publishing your company’s ongoing content on your website and/or business blog.
6. Arrange for someone to be responsible to review Google Alerts and track online mentions of your company, your products/services, your competitors and your key customers. Reviewing the topics being discussed online in your industry will provide fresh insights for creating content.
7. A regular schedule that you follow for talking to two or three customers a week just to see what’s keeping them awake at night. This keeps your content topics sharp and up to date.
8. Identify the specific marketing or other functions that are not delivering positive results and eliminate them. In order to add social media marketing that require your time and attention you’ll benefit from letting go of other activities that aren’t paying off.
Good luck with setting up your social media marketing basics! If you’ve got other key items you’ve found are needed, post them below in the comments.
Related posts:
1. How an Online Customer Community is Different Than Your Company Website
great article for me at the start business affiliate