By Kristy Hesom
Strategies will differ from organisation to organisation, but there are certain aspects that each company should implement. Organisations need to focus on where they want to communicate, what they want to say, and how they can effectively do so.
Start a conversation
While an organisation can control whether or not they themselves are on social media, they cannot control their employees. Often, employees don’t realise that their personal profiles can be a reflection of the company.
Adam Oxford, editor-in-chief of
htxt.co.za, reiterates this; “Make it clear to employees that even when they use social media in their private personae, what they say and do has bearing on their employer and will be treatable as such.”
Employee’s views can become indistinguishable from their company’s. Think
Chris Hart and Standard Bank. Oxford points out that to avoid this, organisations need to ensure that employees are aware that saying the wrong thing on social media can be a disciplinary offense.
Back to basics
Once employees understand their social media responsibilities, it’s time to get to the basics of your social media strategy.
Bianca Quinn-Diavastos, head of business solutions and strategy at
25AM, says that first off, you have to decide what social media platform/s you want to be on. “Pick one or more where you know most of your customers or potential customers are,” she says “This, however, will also depend on the resources you have to manage them.”
Do you have the resources to employ a full-time social media manager? Or do you need to find an external agency to assist you? These questions are important. Understanding your organisation and its needs are essential.
After you’ve figured out where you’ll be, you need to decide why on your objectives, says Quinn-Diavastos.
“Do you want to build a community? Share information and content to build relationships? Gather opinions from customers for market research? Drive them in-store or to your website, to drive sales?”
Down to details
With the foundation laid, organisations can focus on the finer details. Quinn-Diavastos highlights that it’s important to create a persona for your chosen platform/s, and to be consistent. While it does not have to be a character or personality, it’s important that how you communicate with your audience is similar on a day to day basis. It’s less likely that your audience will take you seriously if one day you speak to them in the Queen’s English, and the next with street slang. Find a voice that matches your brand, and stick to it.
Next, you should figure out what you will be communicating. Using time management and a schedule, create good, compelling content that customers will want to engage with, and come back for says Quinn-Diavastos. “Video is memorable and engaging, so find ways to add video to your content. Also, be aware of world events – do not just follow your content calendar blindly.”
Reliable responses
Sharing your own content with your audience is one thing, but responding to people on social media is another. Conrad David, founder and CEO of
Hashtag SA, says that it’s essential to establish “if this, then that” responses.
“You should meet with your staff and run through case scenarios,” he says, “if you’re a bakery, and someone complains that your cake is bad or sour, do [you] have a response ready to reply?”
Knowing who is responsible for what within a company is just as important, he adds. If you’re faced with a complaint or query, you should have the necessary information, whether it’s a document or a URL, to direct complaints to the correct people.
Overcoming your fears can be scary in itself, but with a strategy in place, you can overcome them and join millions of people in the world of social media.
Have you overcome your social media fears? How? Tell us in the comments below.