Social Work —Top Tips for Optimizing Social Media for your Business
The more technology evolves, the more tasks there are on our to-do lists. And while social media might just be the greatest thing since the invention of fire, there is an art to doing it effectively that makes the most of your time and effort. Far too many businesses seem to think social media is simply a platform for posting funny memes or big, flashy ads that in effect, scream “WE WANT YOUR MONEY!” Geri Wolf, Senior Event Designer at The Style Laboratory, knows differently. And now, she’s revealing just what you should put in (and leave out) of your social media strategy in order to make the most of your social work.
Q. Tell me about your organization and what you do there?
A. I am a Senior Event Designer at The Style Laboratory, where my main focus is designing and planning corporate dinners for small to large groups, as well as restaurant openings.
Q. Would you be considered a social media expert?
A. I actually don’t think there is such a thing as a social media expert. Social media is constantly evolving which in turn, requires that we continually adapt. Because of that, I don’t know that there’s really any way to truly master it.
Q. What does a successful social media strategy look like?
A. Many people think it’s all about free advertising, but they’re missing the point. Your first focus should be on the “social” aspect, followed secondly by “media.” Social media was created as a conduit for conversation. Businesses should be utilizing it to engage with their customers. Instead, I see them using it only as a platform to promote their business.
Q. Should a social media strategy focus on acquiring as many followers or “likes” as possible?
A. For my purposes, I don’t follow that many people on Twitter. I like to engage with people who inspire me, challenge me and teach me. If my feed is too large, I can’t do that effectively. When you look at it that way, social media becomes less overwhelming. And when you use it to engage with customers, you’ll find that the relationship you form with them will ultimately impact your ROI in a positive way.
There are people and businesses out there who never respond when someone tweets their handle or comments on their posts. That’s really surprising to me. I often ask people, “If someone walked up to you in a social setting and complimented you, would you turn your back on them and walk away without acknowledging them?” That’s exactly what you’re doing if you ignore a post on your Twitter feed or Facebook page.
Q. Which social media platforms do you recommend?
A. Everyone has a favorite platform on which they feel most comfortable. It seems that a lot of those in the event planning industry tend to like Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook, primarily because those platforms are so visual and there’s a bigger emphasis on photos on those sites. Whether you prefer Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat, if your time is limited, choose just one. It’s better to put your focus there and do a good job, than stretch yourself too thin across multiple platforms and only do a mediocre job. It’s just really difficult to be effective on all of them. In addition, it’s important to post on the platform where your audience resides.
Finally, if you do decide to post to multiple sites, don’t repeat yourself out of laziness or lack of time. For example, if you post the same thing across the board, your Twitter followers may decide they don’t want to “like” your Facebook page because it’s simply a duplicate of your Twitter feed.
Q. What advice do you have for what content to post?
A. Reserve venting for real life! Keep it professional. Bear in mind that nothing you put out there digitally, and then take back, is ever 100% gone. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if you would be okay with your post or tweet appearing on the front page of the New York Times? If not, skip it.
And as in real life, talking about yourself all the time is boring for a “social” platform. Highlight others’ products and services, as well as experiences others provided to you. Additionally, when you do post and you mention your clients or vendor partners, be sure to tag them so that they know you’re talking about them and promoting them.
Finally, I try to avoid saying negative things on social media. I let silence speak for itself. So if I go to a restaurant and don’t have a good experience, I may or may not post anything. If I do, I’ll mention I ate there, not my impressions of the experience.
Just remember, whatever you tweet or post is what your audience will come to define as part of your brand identity and what your brand stands for.
Geri Wolf is Senior Event Designer at The Style Laboratory.
