Social media marketing is not rocket science, but that doesn’t mean you can become a social media guru overnight. The road to success is known for its obstacles and hardships along the way, so it comes in handy to be prepared from the get-go. Being proactive is within our company culture, and we strive on helping our clients come up with engaging, positive, and organized content for their social media campaigns.

If you suffer from SMMA (Social Media Marketing Anxiety), find solace in the fact that you’re not alone – many of our clients feel the same way. Most of the time it feels overwhelming at first, and a common dread is knowing that you can’t stop your social media management or you’ll be left behind… But that’s where we come in! We make sure our clients stay on track and keep their content up to date, all the while tracking your results and improving them by paying attention to the details.

As far as social media marketing goes, here are a few basic Splash tips to pave the way for your company’s online success!

Plan Ahead

Scrambling at the last minute to come up with content can prove to be rather difficult and leads to an unprofessional presence online. It just doesn’t end up reflecting the right image or making sense for what you do. Preferably, we like to work on a social media calendar 60 days ahead of schedule. By doing so, you allow yourself ample time to consider upcoming company events, holidays, and to perfect the right image and content for your business. You still want to be spontaneous so leave room in the calendar for those last-minute posts (i.e. your company received recognition or a local award and you want that story to gain attention while it’s current), but most of your postings can be done ahead of time.

Be Authentic

People crave authentic content. To break it down logically, people follow your business on social media because they like who you are and what you do, so why not give the people what they want? Authentic social media posts bring personality into your business that attracts new followers and retains current ones. They want to see the “behind the scenes” images of your business or work. Employee spotlights can be a great way to counteract any stereotype of being a “faceless corporation.” These posts let your employees know you recognize and appreciate their hard work, as well as give your company a lot of heart in the eyes of the public. Overall, social media gives people a window into your business, what you stand for, and what makes you tick. Show them a “sneak peak” into your business, and you won’t regret it.

Educate

Social media is also a place where you can display your expertise. Show your audience what you know and educate them on your business and what you do. Feel free to give them tips & tricks to prove you know your company is the expert in your field. Sharing your knowledge also improves your company’s reliability and trustworthiness, two major factors potential customers consider when choosing a business to work with. After all, would you rather work with a confident company that understands the ins and outs of their field, or a business that feels like they’re guessing a lot of their facts? Let the public see that you are the expert and why they need to seek you out for help, rather than your competitors.

Have Fun

Just because it’s not rocket science doesn’t mean you can’t have a blast! Social media can be quirky and people expect you to go “off topic” from time to time. So live a little, and have fun with your postings! Jokes or questions are great examples of how to engage with your audience. Create a meme that speaks to people and makes them laugh, relate, or gets them thinking. Personally, we enjoy finding the worst marketing puns on the planet and sharing them on our page. They’re (usually) clever, funny, and not so far off topic that they don’t belong on our page. So, when considering amusing content for your social media marketing, make sure it’s relatable to your business and stay within professional reason. Other than that, well… have fun!

We love to work with clients from all types of businesses. No matter the service or product you offer, we do the research to gain a deeper understanding of your company and provide engaging social media marketing strategies to help your business grow.

Follow Splash Communications:

Splash Communications Website:  www.splashmarcom.com

Facebook: @splashmarcom

Instagram: @splashmarcom

Twitter: @SplashMarcom

Salons by JC Social Media Blog Series

Blog written by: Elysa Leonard

CEO & Founder – Splash Communications, LLC

Elysa Leonard has more than 20 years of experience in the field of marketing communications. She has designed and implemented successful branding, marketing, and advertising campaigns in a variety of business fields, for companies large and small.

Elysa founded Splash Communications in May 2005 and the company has grown and thrived over the past 12 years. Prior to Splash Communications, Elysa worked in shopping center marketing for 10 years as a Marketing Director for both The Rouse Company and Simon Property Group. There she developed and implemented shopping center advertising as well as advised and created advertising for retail stores and businesses. She became well versed in all forms of marketing and advertising strategies. She learned how to develop a strategy that would bring results regardless of the business model.

Without her two-year move to Bermuda in 1999, there probably wouldn’t be a Splash Communications today. This life-changing decision involved quitting her intense but rewarding career in shopping center marketing and escaping to the pristine and beautiful island of Bermuda. Despite loving island life and learning to scuba dive, it was difficult for Elysa to “take off her marketing hat.” She saw so many things that she thought could use improvement or needed the marketing expertise that she had to offer. Diving was very expensive, so she bartered marketing services for dive time with local island dive shops. Using her shopping center marketing experience, Elysa also created an island-wide shopper loyalty program to help local merchants increase sales. After doing this work on the island, Elysa had the experience and confidence to start her own marketing company when she moved back to the United States.

Once back in the States, Elysa moved to Northern Virginia with her family, where she has lived for the past 13 years. But Elysa didn’t give up her love for diving after leaving Bermuda; she currently volunteers as a diver for the National Aquarium in Baltimore. She takes an active interest in the world of fish and marine life and whenever she can, she does survey dives for the REEF Project. For Elysa, splashing is truly a way of life. Elysa lives in Ashburn, VA, with her husband Robert and four children, Samantha, 19, Erin, 17, Meghan, 14 and Robert, Jr., 10.