BRANDBUZZ: STAYING CURRENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Jaci Russo joined Rob and Bernie for the weekly Brandbuzz segment on Acadiana's Morning News.

As a small business owner, no doubt you spend a fair amount of time tinkering with your online brand. After learning the ropes, many business owners come to enjoy the time spent cultivating a presence and relationships on social sites. But are you changing with the times? Here are 4 outdated social media tactics that could hurt your brand.

1. Posting Whenever You “Have Time”

You should be on a set schedule; posting should be done whenever your insights tell you it’s best. For many businesses, that means, early morning or lunch time when more people are likely to take a break. So if you’re waiting to post around 7pm at night– you might be missing your audience. That could be dinner time or bath time if your audience has small children. It’s important to know who you are posting to before you post.

2. Buying Fans

Yes, the more followers, likes and fans of your content the better BUT only genuine fans will engage. If you buy fans, they will continue to just be a number, not a customer. A big number might make you feel good or look cool, but it’s not money well spent.

Instead, invest your money in sponsoring carefully crafted content and gearing it towards people you are trying to reach. Try by area, age, interests, etc. These people will be much more likely to engage with your posts and help drive up your number organically.

3. Not Optimizing Content

Do not just copy and paste a URL on your Facebook page without making sure it’s optimized for your followers. Same goes for twitter. If you don’t take a few seconds to check the link or add a picture if necessary, your followers could be greeted by an ugly string of URL code or a generic box; not the thoughtful blog post you wanted to grab their attention.

If you created the content from a company blog, make sure you attach an image. If you are sharing from an outside source, check the link and make sure they have an image that attaches to the post. The few extra seconds can mean the difference between getting engagement or getting passed over.

4. Not Changing

Basically, what worked a few years ago on social media doesn’t work anymore. You need to adapt, change, and grow. Read up on what’s new, find out if your audience has migrated to a new form of social media like Snapchat.

By staying up-to-date on social media trends, you can get the most out of your efforts and translate that to sales. For every day branding tips, including how to maximize your social media presence, subscribe to the Razor Branding Blog.

Founded in 2001, RUSSO is a strategic branding agency with offices in New Orleans, Lafayette and Nashville. RUSSO uses consumer insight to develop branding initiatives that effectively change the conversation — forming emotional connections between the consumer and the brand. To learn more, visit brandrusso.com.