5 key steps to get the most out of your Social Media

Gone are the days when Social Media was a choice. In today's world if you do not have some sort of Social Media presence then you may as well be invisible in the consumer’s eyes. Now, that may be a slight exaggeration, but Social Media has defiantly become a must have when developing a Marketing Plan. So how do you make sure you get the most out of your Social Media? Well, according to an article written by Susan Ganeshan, CMO of newBrandAnalytics, for www.marketingprofs.com, there are 5 ways to ensure you get the most from your Social Media:

1. Look for brand impact: First, look at your brand mission. More than anyone else in a company, the marketing team knows the brand mission best. After all it is there job to sell that mission. So use your Social Media to see if you are hitting the mark. Are people’s comments supporting your brand’s mission? If not, use the comments to amend your current strategies. 
2. Share the wealth: Don’t hoard your information gathered through Social Media. Share it with other departments/partners in the company. Often times the data you collect could offer valuable insights that can be useful to some other section of the company. For example, if say you notice that a lot of customers are talking about how much they really want your product but it’s always out of stock, pass this on to your distribution team/channels so they can perhaps find a solution. 
3. Redefine your approach to marketing strategy: Social Media has made it easier then ever to tailor campaigns to fit each geographic location. People vary from place to place and what works in one region may not work in another. By looking at the feedback you get from Social Media you can discover trends in different regions that can help you adjust your marketing accordingly. An example could be that you realize that a particular ad is more popular in Ontario then it is in Québec. 
4. Don't just listen—act: It’s not enough to read the comments your consumers post on your Social Medias. Have a conversation. If they post how much they like your product or an ad you did, say thanks. By simply acknowledging their comments, it makes them feel like they are part of the brand. More important is responding to negative comments, and quickly. Offer solutions to the problem they are having. Ask how you can help change their experience form bad to good. If left unchecked, it could escalate from a nasty tweet to a full-blown song and dance about how bad your company is. For example, check out what one passenger did when United Airlines broke his guitar then gave him the run around when he confronted them about it.