Social Media in 2018: Navigating Changes to Boost Your Online Reputation (Part 1)

Buyer behavior is changing, and so are the social media platforms that inform and sway their buying decisions. That cutesy cat post that earned you likes and hearts just a few months ago? It may do nothing to engage prospects today, lest you adapt to the evolving features, algorithms, expectations and dynamics feeding your audience’s social media addiction.

OneZone members and digital marketing experts Lorraine Ball of Roundpeg and Connie Nimmo Thorn of Propeller Marketing share five practices to help you woo more customers on social media.

1. BE RECOGNIZABLE
 
First things first: Being hard to identify is guaranteed to hurt your online presence, says Connie. “People should be able to point you out in a crowd,” she explains. “Your name, logo, fonts and colors need to be the same across every online platform. Your URL and social media handles should be clear and easy to remember.”
 
It’s common sense, but not common practice among social media DIY-ers — organizations attempting to manage their online presence without professional guidance.
 
Branding consistency does more than make you look good: It also engenders trust, makes you more memorable and less likely to be mistaken for a competitor.
 
2. BE MORE HUMAN
 
Earlier this year, algorithm changes made posts from brands, businesses and news publishers nearly invisible to users. If you want fans to see your content, you’ll need to be more human, responsive, interactive and engaging, says Lorraine.
 
That means behaving online like you’d behave in in-person interactions. “View every comment as a customer service touchpoint,” says Connie. “If someone said ‘Thank you’ at your shop, you’d say ‘You’re welcome.’ If someone said they were unhappy, you’d probably try to make them happy.” Engage commenters accordingly.
 
Similarly, increase human interest stories, tag individuals (or encourage them to tag themselves), and share company posts on personal timelines, adds Lorraine. Just as important, encourage meaningful dialogue: “Your objective is to get your audience to interact, so ask for opinions and suggestions.”
 
3. USE PICTURES & VIDEO
 
“Basically, posts without images will not be shown to [Facebook] followers, cautions Lorraine. “While original photography is best, invest in a few great stock images to add life to every post.” 
 
Even so, video is this year’s biggest engagement generator. “That includes Facebook Live, rotating carousels transformed into a video, or short, 15-second stock video with text overlays,” says Lorraine. “If you want to get noticed, it is time to leave the static images behind in favor of video.” (For reference, view sample videos by Lorraine’s team here.) 

​Look for Part Two Coming Next Month!