To be successful in social media, you must listen

People want to share their ideas and be heard, and social media is how they fulfill that desire. Having access to various platforms is a valuable opportunity to listen to your audience and gain insight into their values and feedback. However, it’s not enough to simply have an account; you must know both the platform and your community to become a valuable and trusted resource to your audience. 

Here are some things to keep in mind to improve your social media presence. 

Know the purpose behind each platform

First things first, you need to know the intended purpose of the platform. Not all social media platforms are created equal. You should understand the unique features they each bring to the table.

Knowing the pros, cons, and use of each platform will help you deliver content effectively and respectfully that aligns with your viewer’s intentions.

For example, Facebook and Twitter are completely different platforms designed for two distinct reasons. Facebook’s platform serves as a way for users to stay connected, primarily to friends, family, and joined groups. In contrast, Twitter is focused more on providing users quick “real-time” information, allowing the use of hashtags to connect people to new ideas and concepts quickly. To successfully reach your audience, you must know why they are using that specific platform.

Understand how to use your platform 

Have you ever wondered why some people are so great at social media branding and marketing?

Well, the answer is quite simple – they know how to use their platform. To excel at social media, you must know how to use it to the best of its potential.

Social media provides users the opportunity to do more than just post an image or spread

a message. Now, users can shop, conduct interviews, create polls, and start campaigns among many other possibilities. Crafting social media content has become far easier than you may realize. So be creative and explore the tools provided to you such as filters, GO tags, and live videos. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to connect with users because you don’t know how to effectively use the platform. 

Give your public the content they want.  

Be receptive to what the public wants to see! It’s easy to get carried away and only post informational content or company updates. However, you’re not going to build lasting relationships that way. Approach content creation with your audience’s preferences in mind and focus on what your target market wants to see.

Assess your past posts and review what content is received the best by social media insights, evaluating comments, and number of shares, likes, and saved content. Then define what resonates the most with your audience. Perhaps they prefer information in the form of infographics or desire more curated content and interactive posts. Maybe they long for more insight into the company’s culture and values. 

To effectively communicate with your audience, start with understanding and relating to them. Explore different pages, groups, and hashtags and understand what your audience may be telling you by actively listening to the online community.

Your audience will steer you in the right direction as long as you are willing to be an active listener. However, that is only half of the battle. What you do with your audience’s feedback is crucial to understanding your platforms and knowing how to use them to increase community engagement. 

To help your company maximize its social media efforts, download our Essential Social Media Management Guide for additional advice on taking your social media to the next level.  

Jada Crespo is a summer intern at Axia Public Relations. Jada studies at the University of Florida, majoring in public relations and minoring in event management. She loves impromptu adventures with friends and having a good laugh with her family.      

Featured image credit: Jacob Owens on Unsplash