Companies that actively use social media benefit from many advantages. Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin create a channel of communication to and from your organisation through which people can engage on a non-business level. Through social media, your network can interact with you, express their views and opinions and ultimately engage with your business at a time that is convenient for them.
But that goes both ways. Not only do consumers have a convenient social channel to engage with a business, but businesses can also gain great insight into their consumers. The comments on your company's posts can shed light on how people view your business. Do they like the content you share? Are they sharing positive experiences or venting their frustrations? They may even share suggestions on what they would like to see from your company - a very important insight!
Ultimately, social media can help a company to recognise in real time whether it is creating enthusiastic fans or frustrated customers. In this way, a company gains direct insight into the thoughts of its followers and its reputation.
The potential benefits of actively using social media are excellent... But they come at a price. Actively using social media means constantly adding new content, responding to comments and posts, and paying attention to what your followers are saying. The only way to do this is to monitor your social media channels, which takes time.
However, if you follow a few simple guidelines, monitoring your social media presence doesn't have to take up all your time. Here are five steps you can take to effectively monitor your organisation's social media presence in just 10 minutes a day.
Set a schedule
Social media has a tendency to captivate you for long periods of time. You may have resolved to do so, only check a few things on Facebook and then log out. The next thing you know, it's 30 minutes later and you're still scrolling.
Choose a specific time of day. We recommend the morning, but it is even more important to choose a time that suits you and stick to it. When that time comes, stop whatever you're doing and go through the following steps. You only have 10 minutes to complete them.
This step is a precursor to the actual activities, but it is at least as important. Your schedule is the backbone of your social media monitoring success.
Check Twitter Chatter (3 minutes)
Log in to Twitter and check what is being written about your company and your competitors. Retweet or favourite positive and insightful tweets. Comment on any tweets that require it. Twitter limits you to 140 characters or less, so time management is almost built into Twitter. You can also save streams to Twitter or use a tool like TweetDeck to increase efficiency.
Facebook overview (3 minutes)
Log in to Facebook and read through the comments. like" positive and insightful comments. Review your private messages and make a note of any you need to respond to. If a private message requires a detailed response, schedule it for another time during the day. Remember that This is the time of social media monitoring. Answers may require research, additional details and, above all, more time. Save that for later.
Also check your Facebook Insights page to get an overview of the activity on your company page. Do not go into depth here. Pay attention to trends such as new "likes" and the reach of posts.
Scan Google Alerts (2 minutes)
Google Alerts can send you a notification when your company name is published online. Most of the time, it will show blog posts or comments that mention your business or post a link to your business. Google alerts also show posts on Quora and websites where your business is mentioned.
Remember to switch off Google notifications. scan. Do not read entire articles. Pay attention to how your company is mentioned, by whom it is mentioned and whether you need to take any action. The same applies here: if detailed answers are required, make a note of them. You can respond later in a considered and detailed manner. Stay on top of the monitoring.
Linkedin Quick Look (2 minutes)
There are two areas you can search on LinkedIn. Firstly, check your company page and search for new comments. Next, search your group overview. If you can make a short comment while doing this, do so. Make sure it's short, and do it if it's industry-related and highlights your expertise.
Social media is powerful, but managing it effectively can be daunting. Use the tips above and monitor your social media diligently. Don't get stuck in Twitter or lost in Facebook. Use them as marketing tools to grow your business, not as a pastime. The result is a more effective, visible business that better understands its customers.
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