Ask yourself, what’s one thing that startups today must think about that they did not have to 20 years ago? Answer: social media. Granted, that was a pretty simple question, however the answer is simple due to the ubiquity of social media.With the level of saturation on social media today, being able to break through the noise is key to exponential growth and success for startups. Whether your company makes apps, prosthetics, or anything in between, understanding social media is critical to the advancement of your startup.
Social media can seem daunting, however, it doesn’t have to be. There is a wide selection of tools to help an ascending business improve their social media output and presence. This blog will introduce some of these tools and explain the most efficient ways to use them. Keep in mind that social media is an investment, and not all of these tools are free, so really think about the amount of resources you want to put into your socials.
A social media managing tool is necessary for a business looking to enhance their online presence. With this kind of tool you are able to manage alll of the social media handles that your company uses (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram for example) and schedule posts, even weeks in advance in order to lessen your workload. The user interface will change from app to app yet many of these tools are user friendly. Here are some common, popular social media management tools.
Now that your company is posting regularly, getting engagements, and growing your online brand, what's next? It is important to be thoughtful with what you post, in order to understand and strategize about the information you’re publishing. Analyzing your social media data is a direct way to get a leg up on the competition. Listed below are some important metrics to keep an eye out for:
- Content. What kinds of content are performing better than others? For instance, perhaps when your company posts an image / graphic it receives 30% more engagement than just text. A good rule of thumb is a 33/33/33 approach between videos, pictures, and text to be able to break the data down and determine which combination attracts the most individuals to the post. This strategy will allow you to determine which types of content are receiving the most attention and engagement, allowing your strategy to be modified from there.
- Timing. Believe it or not, the time when a post is sent out can greatly affect the engagement it receives. SproutSocial published an article outlining some of the best times to post on respective sites. Fun fact, the worst day overall to post on social media is Sunday!
- Listening. “Listening” on social media refers to the feedback that is received on an individual post and how much your brand manages that feedback. This feedback can come in the forms of reposts, quote tweets, comments, etc. This is a valuable metric because it begins a conversation about your brand or product. Data has shown that analyzing these types of feedback can inform new insights for your company and make posts more efficient.
It is more important now than ever to have a robust and strong social media profile. It is a near infinite source of free exposure if done correctly, and can also be a fun project for your company. Look towards the most influential startup companies,for inspiration/guidance etc. Now is your chance to conquer the Internet!
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Author Paxton Dodd | Paxton is currently working towards his Master's degree in Communication at Purdue University. He has spent the last year teaching and taking courses along with freelancing. He is interested in creative marketing and data analysis.