Getting Your Social Media Sorted for 2016

New year fresh start. Time for you to review what happened in 2015 and work out where you are going in 2016. Except with so many avenues and the huge variety of social media platforms it can be overwhelming to try and sort out your strategy. In 2015 the trends were in video, an area that we know will continue growing, and Influence marketing. For 2016 these areas are areas to make sure you’re strong in, but just as importantly don’t forget the basics. So here are our top three areas to be concerned about in social media marketing for the next 12 months.

 Facebook.

Organic reach, methods of getting likes and shares just by posting good quality content, may not be dead, but its not doing particularly well. This isn’t to say you should be leaving Facebook. In fact, with the amount of data the site has targeted advertising is a great method for getting new customers and reinforcing the connection with present customers. The key area here is not to waste your money. If you’re not confident with Facebook advertising get someone in who knows how to get you the most return on your investment. This really is an area were paying an expert can save you money in the short term and make you money in the medium to long term. Jason DeMers writing on Forbes has a key area to focus in on when it comes to Facebook in 2016.

Buy buttons will take over. Facebook and Pinterest are just two of the platforms that gained attention this year by introducing new “buy” features for their advertisers and users. Mobile users of Facebook and Pinterest who see a product they like in a sponsored post can now use one click to purchase it, without ever leaving the app. Instagram isn’t far behind on the trend, and I imagine more social platforms will follow. By the end of 2016, most major social media brands will feature some kind of buy button naturally as an element of their advertising campaigns.

  Twitter

Ease back on the scheduled posts in 2016. Instead hand over all the regular updates and the stuff you can arrange in advance to a social media consultant. Why? Firstly, because organic reach is so competitive you need it to be the best, but most importantly you need to be focusing on In-the-moment updates. People want to feel that they are experiencing your business updates as they happen. Remember that you are building a brand, not advertising and you can’t go wrong. Speaking of In-the-moment updates, Periscope is being touted as the next big thing. But walk softly here, this truly instant method of updating your followers needs to be thought through. If you take this route take professional advice, and don’t try and do too much.

 Establish the culture of your brand on social media

Google isn’t dying, no matter how many article state it is, but here’s a key fact. More than 88% of consumers are influenced by other consumers’ online comments. Customers are also starting searches in places such as YouTube, Pinterest and also in apps directly. What does this mean for you and your brand? It means that before you do a single thing you need to reaffirm your key message. What is your ethos and what makes you the business that customers should be turning to? Now this is what you need to be saying via your social media.

The one thing you need in 2016
 
We all have busy days, busy weeks, in fact here’s hoping that 2016 is so busy for you that social media is the last thing you need to be worried about. Yet the window into your world for the vast majority of your customers comes via your social media. You need to be consistent. If you are in any doubt that you won’t be updating daily, weekly or monthly work with a professional that will be able to keep your customers coming back for more.  

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