Social media resolutions for next financial year

So what are your social media resolutions for yourself or your company this financial year? Have you given them any thought? Elevate’s Communication Director, Dr Amanda Olsson offers her top tips for the 2018-2019 financial year.

Resolve to engage better

When using social media make sure that you take the time to read the posts and comment back. There is nothing more annoying to a user than the same stock response pasted after every single comment that is made on someone’s stream, wall or page. Make the effort to think about your response and tailor it to the person’s comments. This is an opportunity for your brand to directly engage with a committed user and you shouldn’t be squandering this because a cut and paste job is easier than a heartfelt and honest reply.

Resolve to ask more

Think about why people are on your channels. Can you ask them for more information, thoughts ideas or suggestions? This is an opportunity for you to gather information straight from your most prized audience: the ones that can be bothered to engage with you. Ask about trends, ideas, and thoughts. In photography, the rule of thirds stands true and on social media you need to consider this as well: 1/3 promotional content,1/3 thought leadership and 1/3 engagement. I would go further and state that every engagement is an opportunity to turn interest into engagement, and engagement into a relationship.

Resolve to offer something for free

Whether these are your ideas, an opportunity to engage with you or your company in a more meaningful way, a tour or a prize, in 2018-2019 take a moment to acknowledge and reward your most loyal online ambassadors.

Resolve to think about your content

Why are you sharing online and are your messages and content on point? Use your metrics to understand your existing audiences and how you can leverage them to create more awareness. Stay away from content that is click bait, spam, fake, incorrect, misleading or false and stay away from content that is repetitive, useless, misleading or disingenuous.

Resolve to be more active

If a customer reaches out to you with an issue or complaint, follow up through the entire length of the customer journey. Don’t just flick them a generic email or website address and ask them to do it themselves. Each negative interaction is an opportunity to turn a negative one into a positive one and your brand is being watched not only by those who have liked or engaged with your page but also with the very many lurkers, watchers, followers or researchers who may not yet be committed to your brand. Turning a negative into a positive reaps huge rewards.

Resolve to post regularly and consistently

There is nothing worse that following a brand that spams audiences with content and then disappears for days on end. Regular content on a regular basis would be a much better way to engage.

Resolve to think about your brands personality

Is your brand fun and quirky? Or more traditional. Are your users boomers, Gen X or millennials? Or can they be refined even further into one of the twelve millennials? For example, Boss Babes, Nostalgics, Millennial Marthas or Exuberants. Take the time to find out so you can truly understand who you are talking to so you can reach your core demographics on subjects they care about and in a way that resonates.

Resolve to think strategically about your competitors’ channels

Learn what works for your competitors, and, more importantly what doesn’t work. Learn from the channels that are out there but whatever you do, don’t troll your competitors. You will be found out!

Resolve to contact a professional if you get into any sort of strife online

Make sure you reach out immediately. Online meltdowns, inappropriate comments and trigger posts that are put up without thought can destroy a brand in hours. The sooner that you call us, the quicker we can work with you to protect your brand. Two hours at the beginning can turn a crisis into an opportunity and save you thousands of dollars in the long-run.

Call us on (07) 3180 3666 and find out how to make your 2018-2019 financial year your best social media year yet.