My first-ever article for the Limeslade website had this headline, or something a little more direct! Almost six years on, and not a lot has changed. If anything, it may even be worse.
We’re talking social media of course. At Limeslade, we run around 25 social media accounts. Each one is monitored and reported on monthly to see if things are improving. We aim to ensure we’re getting the right results for the lovely people we work with. Happily, most of the time we are.
But are you? Do you get the results you want from social media? Do you think it serves you well?
Here are a few thoughts and tips we thought you might benefit from.
Ignore Dogma
There’s a lot of dogma around. People will tell you social media is the answer to everything. Some will tell you never to add an external link to social media, others will tell you it’s essential to fill your posts with emojis. It’s true that sites do favour certain types of content. In order to become the ‘influencer’ you want to be, there are some things that help, but don’t get bogged down too much by the dogma.
Be Sensible
During lockdown in particular, we started to see some off-the-wall posts from people we previously thought to be quite normal. A video suggesting stormtroopers might be invading the country as part of a ‘great reset’ were one notable example! If you’re posting as a representative of a company then suggesting there’s a global conspiracy to brainwash the world, is a bit of a bold move. No matter how compelling, try to keep your more outlandish thoughts to yourself. If you wouldn’t say something to a room of fellow professionals in person, try and avoid writing it online. Even if you would, try and picture their response…
Be Nice
Ah, that old cliche! But again, it still seems to need saying. I follow Sadiq Khan on LinkedIn. Employees of significant construction companies seem compelled to tell him exactly what they think of his work every time he (or his team) post something online. As my old maths teacher used to say, “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”. Though in fairness, his maths lessons were pretty dull.
Be Different
The same old posts, auto-generated by LinkedIn, saying “congrats on your new role” are so very tedious! Say something a little more enthusiastic, more original. Don’t be ‘delighted’ to attend a conference, or if you are delighted, don’t be delighted by every single conference. Other adjectives are available. Ask a question instead of making a statement. It’s a trick the newspapers use. For example: “This is an important project for sustainability”. That sentence could be: “Is this the most important project for a sustainable future in Manchester?” Suddenly it becomes far more interesting.
Be Spontaneous
Hopefully she won’t mind me citing it, Jessica Tresham of WBD posted a wonderful image of her and her colleagues in Edinburgh a few weeks ago. It was a selfie. Not posed, not awkward, just them smiling and having a great time north of the border. Take interesting images and add them to your posts. Even better make a little video. I often cite the example of Tom Owen at Keating Chambers. Tom created a fantastic little 15-second video inviting folk to join him for a webinar during lockdown. It was so simple but super powerful.
Above all, don’t take it too seriously. Social media is an important tool. But it’s only a part of the marketing mix. Whether in construction, real estate or law, you’re unlikely to be selling direct online. Use social media strategically and as part of your plan to promote your business. And if you need to know more or want some help, get in touch today.