Much like when Bruce Wayne became Batman and starting protecting Gotham City, the dominance of social media platforms like Facebook have been a game-changer when it comes to how companies conduct business online.
The prominence of social media worldwide means that potential customers are literally just a click away.
Additionally, platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram give marketers the opportunity to advertise their products and services online at a fraction of the price traditional marketing methods normally cost.
If your goal is to get more customers, and it should be, here are 5 social media tips your business should live by that even Batman doesn’t know (don’t tell Bruce Wayne either):
1) Gotham City – Know Your Area Inside & Out
If you want to be a social media superhero, you need to get to know your area of expertise before you start playing the game. You better believe Batman knows Gotham City inside and out! With literally hundreds of social media platforms out there the question for novices and newcomers alike remains the same: which one do you choose? Well, that depends on what industry or field you’re in. If the focus of your business is to provide information, insight, and value to your customers, go with traditional social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Your content most likely won’t go viral but followers and fans will begin to associate your business and brand with the value you provide, making you the go-to source and authority in their minds if they do decide to look into your industry further or purchase products you sell.
2) Suicide Squad – Reach #SquadGoals with Third-Party Content
Creating consistent content is no joke (see what I did there?). Two related challenges that many businesses face are consistently creating new content and not having a dedicated social media team, or squad rather, to write & post that content. That said, don’t let that be the reason that you don’t join the social media party. Instead, embrace things like third-party content. Using content submitted by fans and followers is a great way to increase engagement and gain genuine interest. Additionally, look for informative articles on trending topics (i.e. #SuicideSquad) as well as other resources that can provide real value to your customers. Don’t be afraid to share facts and other fun stuff from local outlets and national publications; it’s better than not posting at all. Photos, videos, memes, and infographics are particularly popular on social media and provide potential customers with quick, easy information they can understand and digest quickly. Can someone say #squadgoals reached?
“Combine popular memes with trending topics like #SuicideSquad or #HarleyQuinn to reach more fans and followers.”
3) The Batmobile & Bat Signal – Post Early & Often to Send Social Signals
Success on social media is linked not only to how often you post (and the quality of the posts), but also how quickly your company can react and respond to new trends and platforms. For example, a legislative or policy change is a huge opportunity for an insurance company to explain to their customers and clients how this news affects them and why it is important. Being the “first” to get this new, unique (and possibly even trending) content online can provide a huge boost to website traffic and can even lead to your article going viral. It’s not just the quality of the content, but the speed at which it’s posted. With that in mind, get in the batmobile and get to posting! Additionally, responding quickly to questions asked by your social media followers goes a long way in establishing trust, authority, and building brand loyalty. Pro Tip: search forums and other areas where customers frequently ask questions related to your industry, like Yahoo Answers, and then provide the best answer yourself!
“Pinterest is a great platform for Restoration industries.”
4) Batman’s Utility Belt – Heroes Need Tools
Yes, even superheros like Batman needs tools. Are you better than Batman? Of course not. Then go get some social media tools, silly! The depth of social media tools available is more cavernous than the Batcave and ranges from social media management tools like Hootsuite & Buffer to contest software like Woobox. Tools like these will save your business both time and money by allowing your team to schedule out content in advance as well as post across multiple social media platforms simultaneously.
After testing out many of these tools myself my personal recommendation is Hootsuite, aka the “batarang” of social media, because it combines content management, post scheduling, and analytics into one tool at a great price ($9.99/month). Holy Hootsuite Batman!
5) Batman & Robin – Even Social Media Managers Need Sidekicks
We all know that “teamwork makes the dream work” and this is true even for superheroes like Batman and Robin. Similarly, in order to have a truly successful social media strategy it takes a concerted team effort. With this in mind, assign someone in your office the role of social media manager or hire someone new to take on the position. Social media is a full-time job and should be treated as such. Depending on the size and goals of your company, you might need an assistant or additional team members. As mentioned earlier, tools like Hootsuite are a great way to manage content and also give you the ability to assign tasks and roles to other members of your social media team. Along these same lines, assign “admin” or “manager” roles on your Facebook business page to trusted employees so that multiple team members can post content for your company.