Don’t underestimate the power of social media at the beginning of your entrepreneurial journey- it’s a powerful tool and if set up properly can help you to be more accessible to an audience whose buying impulse is driven by immediacy.
There’s nothing that gets me quite as riled up as going online, starting my search, finding something I am interested in, and then I cannot access the information unless I call them. Half the time I don’t even make the call, I immediately lose interest and start my search for something similar where I’ll be given the details I initially wanted. The other half of the time I pick up the phone, it rings, and sometimes I am met with the answering machine and other times I am met with someone who might be able to assist me.
This happens whether you want to make a last-minute reservation at a restaurant but they don’t answer, so you decide not to take a chance and book someplace else, or you found a little store that makes that personalised gift you were looking for but you have no idea where they’re located; and a personal example of mine- I was searching high and low for fun activities in my area, none of them provided pricelists on their websites, they failed to answer and I refuse to drive around and inquire- so here I am still stubborn 3 months later.
Why? Because I had an impulse to do something, I wanted answers right there and then, I couldn’t get it so the moment passed.
The next time someone asks me “What is there to do around here” I am more likely to recommend a place that offered me a solution when I had a problem because then I could talk about what they offer, share a price range and even make a comment about the efficiency of their customer service- even if I haven’t even met anyone from the company personally.
This is why social discoverability is your secret weapon. It’s your way to provide your customers with everything they could possibly want to know without any extra effort from your side.
Yes, marketing can introduce the brand to the consumer, but if those extra steps aren’t there to ensure that the customer enjoys their interaction with your company then you’ve ruined a potential sale.
Not just one sale, but all future sales plus clients you would have gained through word-of-mouth.
To ensure you’re providing your customers with everything they need and more, I’m sharing the 3 most common mistakes companies make when they are in the social setup phase.
Mistake #1
Wanting to be on every platform
Do not (I repeat: do not) take on more than you can handle!
Yes, it’s tempting to open an account on every platform, start posting here and there and think that what you’re doing is being helpful- you’re not (and your 30-day analytics would agree with me).
All you’re doing is setting yourself up for social fatigue instead of strategically entering the online world on the platform that would be of most value to you.
Mistake #2
Not including all your info
If my little anecdote at the beginning is not still echoing in your mind, I am reminding you once more:
Your customers want to find and buy from you, so don’t make it difficult.
When you’re setting up a social media account and they ask for information that you don’t have quite ready yet, be sure to keep a running list for you to refer to when you’re ready to comlete it.
Knowing where you entered what information is especially helpful when you need to make changes as your business expands and offers and operations change.
Mistake #3
Not having a content schedule
A content schedule is basically an outline you use to understand where you’ll be posting what and when. It can be monthly, quarterly or yearly.
This is the key to keeping your social media presence consistent in terms of how often you post and what content you’re posting, making sure that you use all of your content pillars instead of only relying on one.
Personally, I am an extremely visual person and hate opening up an Excel sheet to see what my month’s worth of content looks like, so when I first started I would use the calendar template in Word and fill it in.
I’ve made a really simple and “stress-free” monthly calendar template
for you that you can access here.
This template is extremely minimalistic and perfect for when you want to start outlining
what a month’s worth of content would look like.
The content planner I am currently using is an Excel sheet that I’ve modified so much it finally looks visually pleasing (I know, I also didn’t think it was possible) and I am so excited to start making it available in May!
1. Analyze which platform would be most important for your company
Of course, there’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more, but don’t forget about setting up your Google My Business profile too. It is an important platform that you need to set up properly and utilize in order for your business to always be discoverable with the most up-to-date information.
2. Outline a content calendar for 1 month
Start with outlining your companies content pillars (what your content should always be based on)
Only once you have your pillars will you start to plan your month, ensuring that the pillars are evenly spread out.
Social platforms have different ways of sharing different types of content, in your first month try to utilize each type at least twice. This will not only give you an indication of where you’re being seen but can also help you understand where your target audience is the most engaging.
3. Complete your Social Media profile
Ensure that everything you’re putting on the profile correlates with the brand (from the picture to the description)
When you’re just getting started ensure that you cover the basics:
- Name of company
- Description of product or services
- Hours of operation
- Contact information
- Price list/range if applicable to the platform
I know that sometimes it can get overwhelming,
so I’m curating a social media set-up checklist to ensure that you keep track of the steps you’ve completed and what still needs to be done.
Spoiler: it’s not just steps, there’s tips!
Tanitia Writes 