Appointing a social media officer

Even small businesses who are seeking to enhance their online presence should have a dedicated social media officer. While this may sound like overkill, there are many advantages to having a single person overseeing your social media strategy.

It will ensure that the tone of your social media updates is consistent, and will also mean that your different social media platforms are not repeating and/or contradicting each other. Most importantly, having a dedicated social media manager will mean that your social media activity is a well-thought out strategy, as opposed to a series of disjointed posts.

This may be a responsibility that you choose to take on yourself; after all you know your business the best. However, if social media is not your forte, or you simply don’t have time to commit to such an undertaking, it can be an excellent opportunity for one of your employees to take on some new responsibilities, and hopefully achieve some impressive results.

The social side of SEO

Social media is having an increasingly important impact on a business’s search ranking.

A businesses social media presence, as well as the quality of the content they develop, plays an important role in how visible they are in search results.

SEO strategies used to rely heavily on link building; however this will no longer be enough.  Marketing success will be unattainable without highly shareable content

When a business’s content is posted and shared on social media it sends social signals such as likes, tweets, pins or shares. These social signals are the factors that can determine a business’s rank in a search result.

Businesses should be creating content that is worth sharing. The best social content is the kind that gets followers and fans talking. It is unique, valuable information that leave its audience wanting more.

Social influence will not occur overnight; it will take time and effort to build up a strong and loyal following. If businesses wish to maximise their social media capital, then they need to remember that social media is community based. It is important to be social and actually participate within the platform.

Social media trade promotions

A popular way to promote a business’s goods and services is via their social media pages.

However, before businesses begin planning their social media campaigns they need to consider their legal obligations.

Misleading or deceptive conduct

Consumer Laws outlines prohibitions against misleading and deceptive conduct within social media trade promotions.

Content posted onto social media should be checked and cleared similarly to traditional media.

Advertising industry codes

Social media advertisements are regulated under various advertising codes, such as the Code of Ethics in Australia.

Businesses need to ensure that their social media campaign complies with the relevant codes to prevent incurring any penalties.  Each country also has its own set of regulations on how trade promotions should be conducted, so businesses will also need to comply with them.

Social media terms and conditions

When a business registers for a social media platform they enter into a contract with the social media provider. The businesses use of the platform is governed by this contract.

Also, by registering with the site the business has agreed to follow a set of terms and conditions.

The company’s trade promotions must comply with both the contract and the outlined terms and conditions, or the company risks being removed from the platform.