Are you looking for ways to improve your social media marketing strategy? Do you want to make better use of social media in order to grow your business? One thing I get asked quite often is “what are your best tips for social media?”. My response to that more often than not is to counter with, “well tell me about what you’re doing and what platforms you’re on”. Well depending on the situation the person in front of me is in, my answers from here can widely vary. I mean, no two people, situations, businesses are the same, right? But I was asked this again just the other day and it kinda stuck with me, so I thought I would jot down the things that tend to be the more common responses to people.

1. Up-To-Date Details

Make sure that ALL the information on your company pages / social-media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest or whatever) are up-to-date and accurate. Nothing says you don’t care more than having old or inaccurate information. And if you don’t care, why should the peoplle visiting your social profile? Make sure your logo, background image, etc., are sharp, professional, and consistent across all platforms. You have seconds to impress so make sure you are using the correct siing and dimensions etc and your images are sharp!

2. Quality Posts, Frequently

Now each platform is dofferent. and ask 5 Digital Marketing Consultants ho woften to post to each platform and you will get 5 different answers. And I don’t personally dont think there is a correct answer. But experiement with times and consistency per platform and look at yor analytics. Se ewhat works for your business. If you can’t personally do it, share it amongst your team or engage a Digital Marketing Consultant. But frequency will build followers. The most common way to lose them is to not have new content there. Your posts should be interesting and valuable to your customers. Posting a sale special gets only 10 percent of the views that something informative or humorous would. Customers will keep coming back if there is something there for them.

3. Follow Your Competition

This works best on Twitter and Instagram. Not only should you follow your competitors’ accounts, but you should also follow their followers — many will follow you back!

4. Always Answer Your Customers

Only a few hours should go by before every customer is responded to — with no exceptions. If the discussion needs to be private, post something like, “Personal message sent” Or “Call/email me at…”. Complaints should be addressed, as well as a “thank you” sent for compliments. Once you interact with customers on social media, you deepen your relationship with them and they never forget you. Many customers will re-post and tell others, so make sure the conversation ends well. Both good and bad comments last forever on the Internet.

5. Be a Customer-Service Leader

As the owner, principal or executive at your company, some of the best use of your time and position is to interact with customers directly on social media. Getting a tweet response to a customer’s problem from the boss always impresses and makes him or her feel special. It can turn an unhappy customer into an advocate for your company.

6. Show Your Face on Facebook

Make comments on your company’s Facebook page via your personal account. Customers love seeing a top executive give some inside ball. It attracts them to you and your company and demonstrates that the company is led by someone who is authentic.

7. Don’t Forget LinkedIn

One thing that many don’t do, is to connect with your customers on LinkedIn. This personal connection makes the customers feel that you care about them, and that they are more than just revenue to you. I have gotten orders, complaints, compliments, and suggestions from many client I have connected with on LinkedIn.

Whether you have a large, medium, or small company, a retail store, or are an independent contractor, photographer, lawyer, doctor, plumber, shoemaker or florist, you can employ these power techniques today. They will immediately bring you new clients or customers and sales.

To be successful today, you need the attitude that social media is not something you do. It’s a lifestyle.