Social media marketing is one of the key uses of most companies' telecommunications infrastructure. It helps build brand recognition and permits engaged interaction between the business and its customers. Unfortunately, many business people utilize social media ineffectively. To help you better engage your audience, below are the do’s and don'ts of social media marketing for businesses.

Do:

Post at the right times

Be careful that you post only at the times of day that will most benefit your business. For instance, don't post in the middle of the night if your audience is likely asleep at that time. Your message may be pushed down the page by subsequent posts by the time your audience is awake and accessing social media. On the other hand, it's important that you don't post at all hours of the day, either. Constantly inundating your followers with posts — simply for the sake of remaining in the spotlight — might cause them to unfollow you. For a good balance, post once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

Use automation software

It's best to post consistently so your audience grows to expect and look forward to your messages. However, sometimes consistency is impossible; you may have other engagements or be away from your computer at the scheduled time. Automation software lets you compose and schedule posts in advance. Hootsuite®, Socialert®, and Crowdfire® are some of the most popular automation tools. Each offers important features, including calendar management, social analytics reports, and trend tracking, to make effective social media management a breeze.

Don't:

Forget to link your site

Although engaging with your audience is one of the key purposes of social media marketing, another is to direct them to your website where they become potential customers or subscribers. So, don't forget to include your website link or links to other important sites so followers begin to trust you and look to you as a subject matter authority.

Always talk about yourself or your business

Constantly promoting your business and your products or services can turn readers off. Instead, follow the 80/20 rule. The vast majority — approximately 80% — of your posts should educate and entertain your audience using information relative to your business. With the other 20%, you can self-promote, knowing you’ve already provided considerable value to your followers.

For additional help honing your business's online marketing efforts, contact Fredrickson Communications, an experienced managed services provider in Durham, NC. They’ve been fulfilling their clients' telecommunications needs for more than 40 years, providing everything from IT consulting to internet and cloud services for businesses. Visit them online for more information on their telecommunications and marketing services. To schedule a free consultation and learn how your business can better use social media, call (336) 512-0003 today.