Social Media is a very powerful tool for your business in the right hands. Properly used social media tactics can increase your customer base and keep current customers loyal. And recently even the search engines are starting to take it into account in their rankings. Quite simply social media has become too powerful to ignore. If it isn’t part of your online marketing strategy your business is losing out.

But like every other part of your business you need to have goals and a set plan to achieve those goals. Here are a few social media tips to get your business started online.

1. It doesn’t always have to be about your business. Let your social media profiles develop a personality. How far you go with this of course depends on your type of business and customers.

2. Never take anything personally. This is true of all online activity but it is particularly important in social media. Respond kindly and politely when dealing with or responding to an upset customer. It’s recommended that you never offer a refund to a customer in public channels. Have them call or email you and do it privately.

3. Engage with your community in a way that suits your business and your customers. Contests with a prize when you reach a certain number of comments or followers can work great. Also special limited time discount coupons are a good idea from time to time if they can apply to your type of business.

4. Use a personal picture not your company’s logo on your profile. Changing your profile picture from a logo to a real picture is a great choice for service type industries. If your company cares only about building your brand then stick with the logo.

5. Know your audience. Choose a personality that matches the community for each social media channel your business is on. You wouldn’t speak to your buddies after work the same way you would in a board meeting. Likewise Facebook is Facebook and Twitter is Twitter. What works on one may not necessarily be successful on the other.

6. Be consistent. Keep your content flowing and you will gradually build your list of followers and leads for your business. Stop interacting with your community and you risk losing them. Would you click to follow someone who’s last post was two weeks ago? Probably not, and your customers feel the same way.

7. Promote your social media channels offline. Give out flyers and put up signs encouraging your customers to follow you online.

It may take some work and time to build your following online but the rewards are well worth it in the long run.

David White owns Great White Local SEO at [http://greatwhitelocalseo.com] where he works with businesses struggling to make sense of the complicated and ever changing online marketplace. He uses search engine optimization techniques, offline and online marketing, as well as social media to maximize a business’ leads and increase profits.

To get a free SEO and marketing analysis of your business please go to Great White Local SEO [http://greatwhitelocalseo.com] and start dominating your local market online today!

Author: David P White
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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