Learn the rights and wrongs of social media

Social media is enormous and could really help your business. Get it right and you will have a community of followers. But get it wrong and you will be the talk of the internet – for all the wrong reasons. We’ve teamed up with Harvey Morton (harveymorton.digital), an expert at helping brands to build websites and social media strategies, for his tips on how to re-invigorate your online presence. ■ First, you must re-familiarise yourself with your target market so you really know who you are talking to. ■ Engage with the people who comment. The power of social media is the community you create. If people comment on your posts, then respond. Tesco Mobile is brilliant at this. Even when people are complaining, the response from the firm is enough to soften the most hardened heart.

Get creative. Don’t be afraid to try something a bit fun and out of your comfort zone. Take KFC for example – the #Kfcadminisbored hashtag on Twitter, a competition to guess the Admin’s favourite music, was a real winner.

Not only did it promise a £10 voucher to the person who tweeted the right band with the hashtag, but it made people smile too.

Be consistent in your tone and approach. It’s all too easy, especially when you are a small company, to be ad hoc in your use of social media.

If you want to create a community, run on themes or campaigns, and post at the same time each week without fail. And while you want your tone to be slightly informal, you shouldn’t go too far and begin to look unprofessional. Moderation is essential – yes, post consistently, but keep it to once or maybe twice a day.

Share quality content that would be genuinely helpful to your clients, ensuring it is relevant to your company goals. Offer a look behind the scenes. People buy from people, not organisations. If you can put an approachable face on your company, people will begin to trust you and your brand.

Avoid stepping all over cultural sensitivities. Really THINK about what you’re posting so that it can’t offend anyone.

Remember your manner. There are some social niceties online that your customers will expect you to adhere to. One of the most obvious is timing. You need to avoid sending out a tweet during a minute’s silence, for instance.