Social Media SOS: What to Do When Your Small Business Social Media Efforts Aren't Paying Off
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This document provides tips for small businesses on using social media effectively. It begins by stating that many small businesses see no return on investment from social media. It then lists dos and don'ts for social media marketing. The dos include discovering your brand voice, treating platforms distinctly, inviting interaction, being generous with content, focusing on relevant networks, and thinking locally. The don'ts include lacking goals, duplicating content, abandoning channels, and treating channels in isolation. The document concludes by profiling a jeweler's social media use and providing recommendations.
Social Media SOS: What to Do When Your Small Business Social Media Efforts Aren't Paying Off
- 1. Social Media SOS What to do when your small business social media efforts aren’t paying off RJO Educational Series 2013 Covington, KY @staceykgordon
- 2. We orchestrate your content so you can strengthen long-term relationships and solidify your brand’s value in customers’ minds. Suite Seven is a content strategy and brand communications consultancy in Oakland, CA.
- 6. “If you build it, they will come.”
- 7. “If you build it, they will come.”
- 8. Find and interact with consumers where they already hang out Build a foundation and framework for providing a rewarding customer experience, communicating your value and meeting strategic goals.
- 9. Social media is the #1 online activity. 1of 5 minutes spent online is spent on social media 82% of people age 15 and older have been reached by social media globally 3 of 4 minutes spent on social media is spent on Facebook
- 10. Have easier two-way conversations (and more emotional connections) with your customers
- 12. Engaged customers become brand lovers. Bain Co., 2011 Customers who engage with companies over social media spend 20% to 40% more money with those companies than other customers. They also demonstrate more emotional commitment to brands, giving them a 33% higher Net Promoter score, a common measure of customer loyalty.
- 13. Social content can improve your search engine rankings.
- 14. Social media can actually drive sales. 21% of Pinterest users have purchased an item they saw on their Pinboards
- 15. Small business owners say social media is important. 83% of businesses in 2012 agreed that social media was important to their business for: • Building awareness • Driving traffic to their websites • Search engine optimization Social Media Marketing Industry Report, 2012
- 16. 61% of small businesses say they see no ROI from social media Manta, April 2013
- 17. Why isn’t it WORKING???
- 18. Companies aren’t telling their unique stories. 58% of companies are now on social media. Everybody’s fighting for the same eyeballs. You have to differentiate yourself.
- 19. People expect a lot from you. You have to entertain, excite, educate, support or inspire them. It’s your job to make them want to keep engaging with you. Companies aren’t giving users what they want.
- 21. DOS of Social Media Marketing
- 22. Discover your voice and tell your distinctive story. DO #1:
- 23. THE STORY MAKES YOUR PRODUCT BETTER
- 24. Treat each social media platform distinctly. DO #2:
- 26. What it’s good for: • Building a community • Engaging loyal fans • Starting a conversation Content should be: • Visual • Something people relate to • Inviting people to talk back • Shareable What it’s good for: • Sharing great finds • Contributing to conversation • Recognizing others Content should be: • Fresh • Interesting • Complimentary • Generous What it’s good for: • Creating desire • Letting people explore and dream Content should be: • High-quality • Beautiful • Collectible • Shareable What it’s good for: • Storytelling • Entertainment • Education/support Content should be: • Personal • Captivating • Useful • Shareable What it’s good for: • Getting attention in less crowded space • Community-building • Google rankings Content should be: • Visual • Relatable • Shareable
- 27. Invite people to interact with you — and listen and engage. DO #3:
- 28. Social media is a two-way street. “With everything you do in social media, you have to participate in order to build bridges that connect people and the company.” Brian Solis, social media strategist
- 30. 70%of your content should add value in some unique or original way. 20%should be content you share from others (curated content) 10%should directly promote your products General rule of thumb for social media content
- 32. Focus on the social networks that can get you the best results. DO #5:
- 33. Small businesses: Do a few things well Think smarter
- 35. Social media and local marketing go hand in hand • Establish your Google business page and business Facebook page • Encourage “check-ins” • Buy targeted Facebook advertising for your ZIP code • Nurture Yelp! reviews and incorporate them into your other online marketing • Post content about local happenings and link to events, other businesses, etc.
- 36. DON’T’S of Social Media Marketing
- 37. Start doing social media until you know what your goals are. DON’T #1:
- 39. Post the same content on every social network. DON’T #2:
- 40. “If you duplicate the same content across every social network because ‘you didn’t have the time or resources,’ you deserve whatever abuse happens to come your way.”Jeremy Waite, head of social strategy at Adobe EMEA
- 41. Post and run. DON’T #3:
- 42. You have to be ready to talk back. 42%of people who complain on social media expect a response from the brand within 60 minutes The Social Habit, 2012 24%of users who contact a brand on a social network (about anything) expect a response within 30 minutes
- 43. Abandoned social media channels can do more to hurt your brand than if you’d never started at all.
- 44. Post for posting’s sake. DON’T #4:
- 45. Frequency isn’t everything. Relevance and authenticity are.
- 46. Tarnish your brand with social media. DON’T #5:
- 47. Your brand voice and image need to be consistent. • Make sure everything you post — images, videos, and text — are high-quality and reflective of your affluent brand. • Be authentic: don’t speak in a voice that isn’t truly yours. • Ensure that the person posting to your channels is savvy enough to understand the difference between appropriate and inappropriate (or offensive) content.
- 48. Treat your social media channels as siloes. DON’T #6:
- 49. Posts should complement each other to tell different facets of your brand story.
- 50. Meet Our Jeweler on Social Media
- 51. KE Butler Co. Jewelers Vidalia, GA Profile • Founded 1955 • Owners: Earl and Kathy Butler • Located in Vidalia, GA: draw from town and surrounding area, about 35,000-40,000 people Customers and Products “We target a wide range of customers. We have people who will buy a $30 silver item all the way to a $45,000 special-order diamond. But we’re rural Georgia. We’re middle-end, but when we do sterling, it’s a little nicer. We target people who will pay a little more than they’ll pay at a department store. We do quite a bit of custom design (promoted mostly by word-of-mouth). We’re the only store in town who has a jeweler on staff.”
- 52. Social media goals “We see things that are new and different and we jump on them early.” “I like it as a reinforcement of our name – for when people are ready to buy.” “We hoped to bring new customers in the door.”
- 53. Social media challenges “I feel like I need to keep doing it, but don’t know if it’s paying off a lot.” “The frustrating part is that we put a lot of dollars and time into it!” “We post a lot of coupons, and nobody ever brings them in.”
- 54. Website by WR Cobb
- 55. Smartphone Apps
- 56. Facebook www.facebook.com/KEButlerJewelers 635 Likes 14.62% growth in new fans over past month People Talking about This (PTAT): 82 Engagement Rate: 12.9% (considered very high) 1.8 posts per day average
- 57. Facebook: Funny, cute, friendly
- 58. Facebook: Gem and jewelry education
- 59. Facebook: Sales and promotions
- 60. Twitter @KEButlerJeweler 303 tweets in nearly one year 225 following 147 followers 0.9 tweets per day (no tweets since March) 5 retweets 0 user mentions 0 RTs of others’ content 0 replies 13 links 281 hashtags
- 61. Twitter: mostly jewelry facts/education
- 62. Pinterest @kebutlerjeweler 12 Boards 200 Pins 18 Followers 1 Following
- 63. Pinterest: designers, custom pieces, wedding inspiration
- 64. Google+ plus.google.com/114752085540331712258 5 people have them in circles 2 people in their circle 11 “plusses”
- 65. Google+: Fun, friendly, educational
- 66. YouTube 12 videos 3 - 48 views each Average 1 “like” per video
- 69. The impulse to educate and entertain selflessly is RIGHT. Frequency (on Facebook and Google+) is on-target. Great “voice” – friendly, playful, helpful Stay on course
- 70. Facebook: The beginning of a community is here. Nurture it! Stay on course
- 71. Pinterest: Sharing an aesthetic vision for how you see the world, how you curate products, etc. = the right retailer strategy Stay on course
- 73. Suggestions Make it easier for people to engage • Shorter posts (currently averaging 100-150 words) make it easier to skim. • Ask specific questions and invite people to talk back. • Use strong calls to action — tell people exactly what you want them to do next! • Make the content relevant, fun and emotional.
- 74. Content Relevance LESS: MORE: Is a string of bad luck bringing you down? Alexandrite is known for bringing fortune to its wearers— and it’s beautiful to boot. Make today your lucky day!
- 75. Suggestions Stay plugged in to local events, news, topics • The Downtown Merchants Association is one of your biggest online supporters. • Inspire local pride. • Talk about what’s happening, promote events, schedule promotions to coincide with things happening locally.
- 76. Suggestions Improve your image(s) Blurry photos, pixelated text, “clip art” style graphics cheapen brand image.
- 77. Suggestions Show off how you’re different • Highlight your custom designs — and tell stories about them. • Showcase the people who buy your special pieces and their stories.
- 78. Suggestions Tell more stories • Don’t just talk about product specs – tell stories behind the products • Use video to bring personal stories into your social media – people, events, happenings.
- 79. Suggestions Let Twitter fly the coop • Focus your energy and resources on places where you can build a community. • Don’t post for posting’s sake.
- 80. Suggestions Incentivize people to share • Share coupons and promotions for chance to win or special discount • “Share if you agree” • Submit jewelry stories every month for chance to win
- 81. Suggestions Cross-promote content • Videos on YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest • Photos on Pinterest and Facebook • Facebook/Pinterest on website, app
- 82. Be patient. Try stuff. Watch and adjust.
- 83. Don’t give up!