Social media techniques: Creating a hassle-free online presence

by habiba_abudu | September 24, 2019 10:56 am

By Grace McGrenere

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Aside from their regular nine-to-five jobs, each professional holds a second work title, which occupies the remaining, and sometimes traditional, hours of the day. Each person is a brand ambassador of their own life. Social media has allowed users, if not forced them, to put their best face forward 24-7, 365 days a year. To maintain this image, people must work tirelessly as content creators, producing the perfect image, video, or update that highlights the best moments of their lives. Lately, this sentiment has started to change as social media users are beginning to recognize the harsh repercussions of projecting enviously perfect lives. People are now opting for #makeupfreeselfies or getting candid about their mental health issues with their followers. As one builds their personal brand, they end up having to wrestle with the concept of authenticity. This becomes an even bigger challenge when managing a business’s brand.

 

Every business should be active on social media, regardless of the type of work they do. Online media platforms can expand a brand’s marketability, which in turn means monetary benefits. For those trying to build a brand, the challenge is determining what kind of content to produce. This may be easier for a landscaper whose work relies heavily on visuals or for pool installers who may also find it simple to post before-and-after photographs of their projects. However, generating original content is a bit more challenging for pool liner and steel manufacturers due to the lack of visuals in their work environment.

Create an authentic online presence

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Drawing viewers online may be difficult, but not impossible. It just requires a little more creativity and persistence, especially for those who are unfamiliar with social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. These channels are ideal if a brand wants to create their online presence. Each platform comes with its own set of instructions. As a collective, they all share one implicit rule: “be authentic.” Just as individual account holders have begun the trek toward more self-reflective and honest online presences, businesses must do the same. There is no difference between how one should treat their customers in person versus online. Online exchanges should be treated as an extension of in-person interactions. That said, one can still be authentic and professional while creating fun, engaging content for viewers.

 

Grant Cardone, a businessman and best-selling author, was able to expand his brand into the marketplace in just five years because of the large amount of content he produced on a multitude of platforms. He recently hosted one of the world’s biggest business conferences in Miami, Fla., which saw nearly 35,000 attendees. He uses each platform’s features to the fullest to maximize his viewership and reach. Cardone’s YouTube channel comprises videos, ranging from real estate and sales training, to motivational talks, luxury tours, etc. The social influencer is constantly producing versatile and engaging content for his viewers. His success largely depends on his authenticity. The content he publishes is the most genuine representation of his personality. By staying true to his character, Cardone has been able to communicate this particular message to his followers. Through his own achievements, his brand’s message reflects his desire to help others become financially successful.

As an aspiring business content creator, one must also find a message they wish to present to their customers. In this case, the content is reflective of a business rather than a person, but one can still personalize the information they present. Whether it is ‘great customer service,’ ‘quality products,’ or ‘killer sales,’ a business must have a set idea of what it wishes to communicate to its customers. Framing the content around a certain goal makes brainstorming easier. It also gives customers an idea of what they can expect from the brand. One’s commitment to presenting this message is an extension of their company’s promise for quality customer service, which is usually seen in personal interactions, not online communication.

Post eye-catching content

Once the framework is designed, it is time to start posting. If one is unsure where to begin, they can refer to businessman Gary Vaynerchuk’s book, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World, which provides a thorough understanding of how one must communicate on each platform. The author provides great examples of what makes a good post and what does not. He also outlines different platform features throughout his book. Vaynerchuk highly recommends using the Facebook Ads feature—which is very specific in targeting the ideal customer—to push one’s presence into the marketplace. Some of the options in this feature include age, sex, interests (e.g. music, TV shows, stores, groups, animal lovers), etc.

One can test the effectiveness of an ad before spending any money on it. They can also create a post on their business page and review the analytics to see how their audience is engaging with the content. Facebook sends a notification if a particular post outperforms others on the page. Once a post does exceedingly well and the audience actively engages with the content, one can consider investing their money by pushing it out as a Facebook Ad. This approach can help create a wider reach (outside of one’s current network), as well as generate a huge return on investment (ROI) for the business. That said, the Golden Rule is a far more effective way of building a brand’s audience base.

The Golden Rule

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The Golden Rule states: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” One may recognize this tried-and-tested formula from the playground—if one would not like to be excluded from the game, why would they leave someone else out? The same principle of reciprocity applies to internet interactions. To expand one’s following and engagement, one must actively interact with other accounts. Does one have highly influential people in their network who are trying to promote something to their audience? This could either be a video, event, article, book, or business. Anything one can share or promote that would help another person reach a larger audience and would also be of interest to one’s network, is what one should aim for.

A mutually beneficial relationship between two parties can be achieved when they continuously support and endorse each other’s content. Not only will this technique allow followers of both accounts to benefit from the shared information, especially if the services complement each other, but the account can also become a great salesperson for one’s business.

Another approach is collaborating on a project. This could be organizing an event or shooting a video together to post on one’s platform. The ‘Live’ feature on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube can work wonders for collaborations. ‘Going Live’ refers to recording a video—live-to-air—in real time. When one posts live content, the platform they are operating on sends out a notification to the account’s network/followers. If one is using Facebook, the platform will push the live content more than any pre-recorded video or post to allow for real-time engagement. This feature is another effective way of building one’s online presence and expanding their network.

Create content to express not impress

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Nowadays, it is becoming exceedingly difficult to avoid comparing one’s online presence to others. When exploring different options with regard to content creation, it is important to remember one’s posts will look different from big budget motion pictures or National Geographic photographs—at least in the beginning. As businesses begin to understand the value and advantages of social media, an increased need for engaging posts ensues. Some companies may hire a media professional to manage their social platforms while others may choose to hand over the responsibility to one of their existing employees. Regardless of where other companies stand, one should resist the urge to compare themselves to other brands.

The trajectory of a business’s online success is determined by the hard work they put into their content. No matter what the initial results look like, one should not stop posting. There may be an urge to hold off on creating and posting content because of the fear that the content is not good enough. However, putting a simple picture or short video online is better than not posting at all. As Cardone says, “Best known beats best every time.” Spending a lot of time perfecting a post may take away the opportunity of engaging with one’s followers or brainstorming ideas for future content. Indeed, an esthetically shot video will make people believe the business’s products/services match the quality of its content. However, this may not always be the case. This does not mean one should forgo planning, creating, and editing content altogether; it simply means one should invest valuable time thinking about the message they are trying to convey to their followers. If the message gets lost behind all the footage and transitions, then regardless of how good the content looks, it will not be effective. One must find a way to communicate simply and often. The more a product/company is seen, the more recognizable it becomes. If an audience continuously witnesses how a business practices good service, they will believe it, too.

Enjoy the ride

How can one get over their insecurities to accomplish this feat? It is simple—one must remember the phrase: “Be yourself!” One must be authentic and let go of the urge to compare and procrastinate. It is acceptable to let go of the need to remain professional at all times on social media. The professional guise online may come off as robotic to customers who are used to the friendly banter in person. Creating content that is fun makes it easier for customers to engage with it, too. Also, one must let go of unnecessary stress and worries and simply enjoy the content-creation process. The sooner one learns to determine their message, experiment with social media platforms, and support other accounts, the faster they will succeed.

References:

5 Things to Grow Your Social Media, streamed live by Grant Cardone on YouTube on Oct. 24, 2017. For more information, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeJ-3uHsHzk[5].

• Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World, by Gary Vaynerchuk, published by HarperCollins

[6]Grace McGrenere is a fourth year journalism and human rights student at Carleton University in Ottawa. She interned for the digital magazine, kaur. space in March 2019 and hosted a human rights-based radio show, Speak Out, on CKCUFM for two years. She is spending the summer before the final year of her undergrad at Highbury Pools, where she manages the company’s social media accounts. Grace is the only one at the company who is responsible for the computer numerical control (CNC) machine: a contraption that produces liners for customers each day. She can be reached via e-mail at grace@mcgrenere.com.

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