As everyone knows, social media can be a double-edged sword for any business. On the negative side, your social media work to support your business can inadvertently do more harm than good. In this post, we’re not focusing on any technical requirements, but rather on positive thoughts about what you say, and how and when you say it. We’ll take Facebook posts as an example, though much of what is said can equally be applied to any other social media platform you might use.

Considering what to say

Facebook is, and you might just have heard the phrase before, a ‘social’ media! Therefore, your page shouldn’t simply be a series of postings about your products and how great they are, special offers currently available, and the like. Instead, aim to join the ‘social’ aspect – hold a conversation. You might offer valuable tips which relate to readers’ needs as well as your products. You could highlight genuine problems where your products can be part of the solution.

Where it’s practicable, and customers allow, look to tell real stories where your products have been the star in that customer’s world. Appreciate that one of the key aims of social media posting is to present content that those reading are likely to want to share with others.

Considering when to say it

Too-frequent postings, or those on a strictly regular schedule, can lead to people starting to tune-out the messages, with sub-conscious thoughts of ‘them again’. Referring to the previous point, your posts should also show variety rather than simply being the ‘same-old same-old’.

Considering how to say it

Your Facebook posts should be pitched to meet the knowledge and understanding of your audience. In most cases, it’s fair to say that your technical appreciation of your products will be greater than that of those who read the posts, so be careful of unexplained jargon and the like. Confusion doesn’t tend to lead to a positive response! If there are valid reasons for using some ‘technical guff’ then add a simple explanation in brackets. These are great for presenting information in a way that seems to say: ‘Just in case you don’t know…’

How can we help?

Social media is just one of so many aspects of effective online business behaviours covered by our ecommerce design agency and consultancy team here at Magpie. To talk about the above, or any other aspect of your business, please contact us now for an obligation-free chat.