The key ingredient to many successful businesses is good connections. This might be links with customers, suppliers, or colleagues, etc. Simply put, companies that can connect with their stakeholders will be better able to build a strong brand. And for many companies the best way to connect is via various social media platforms. If you are having trouble connecting with people, it may be because it is too difficult for them to find you on social media in the first place.
If you are struggling to make your existence known on social media, and missing out on those all important connections, then here are five tips to make you easier to find.
1. Use your actual name
When it comes to social media, you want to be easily found. When your customers try to find you, they will almost always enter the name they call your company by. Therefore, your profile on social media needs to register this name even if it isn’t your company’s official name. Use the same name in various places on your profile e.g., in the About us section and even in your posts if it fits. If they can find more than one of your social media profiles (because you have used the same company name for all of them), there is a higher chance they will connect with you.
2. Become more recognizable
We are highly visual people and when we see patterns, will normally begin to associate it with something. Many of us are also on more than one social media platform, so companies can leverage this in order to gain more connections.
Try having the same profile picture on all of your profiles too. What this does is make you and your brand more recognizable. If people are looking at other social networks that you have a presence on and they see the same profile picture, they are more likely to recognize you as the same company and potentially be more willing to connect with you. If you change your picture on one profile, be sure to update it on the others.
3. Create more social emails
We don’t mean start emailing people asking them to connect, as this will likely drive people away because they will think you are spamming them. Instead, try putting links to your social media profiles in your email signatures with a suggestion to connect. Because you likely send a fair number of emails out on a daily basis, having links to your social media profiles can help increase the chances of people reaching out and connecting with you.
4. Don’t use multiple email addresses
It can be tempting to use different email addresses for each social media platform – this can help track integration and engagement – but in truth, this can actually confuse people and could make more unnecessary work for those who manage your profiles.
Many personal users have only one email for social media, largely because it’s easier to manage and quickly look at traffic. So, in order to make things easier for you or whoever manages your company’s social media, it might make sense to just use one email address for all of your profiles.
If you have already used more than one email address for different social media profiles you have two options: You can choose to change the email addresses so that they are all the same, or you can simply link the other email addresses so that they are included in all of your profiles.
The most professional looking option is to pick just one email as it will reduce uncertainty as to what email address to use when customers want to contact you via your social media pages – e.g., email you about your products.
5. Make your website social
Finally, you likely have a website. While many people will find you on social media, it is a good idea to include links to your social media profiles on your website. The reason for this is because it helps you build your brand image. It is a way of letting people know that you are not only on the Web, but also have social media profiles and that as a company you interact.
The most popular way to display your social media presence on your website is to include icons on the homepage, or in the footer. When you click on each of these, a new window or tab opens and takes you to the relevant social media page.
In general, the more locations you broadcast your social media presence, the higher the chance of gaining more connections. It follows that the more connections you have and the more active you are on your social media profiles, the greater consumer interest and engagement is, and the stronger your brand identity becomes. Over time, you should see an increase in sales and ultimately profitability.
If you are looking to learn more about how to leverage social media in your business, please contact us today.
