By Jacob Cox, Social Media Executive at Autotech Recruit
Social media can look like a whole different universe to many automotive business owners, but its importance to companies and individuals cannot be underestimated in 2019. Whether or not you have an up-to-date social media presence could be the difference between a potential employee coming to you or going elsewhere.
Before we get into the main points, let me set the scene a little. Have you ever been swiping through your Facebook feed, and hidden away behind all the pictures of your third cousin’s dog is a post about a product or service you were actually interested in? Without that company using social media to reach out to their target audience (you), that content would never have reached you, you wouldn’t have gained that extra bit of value and the company would’ve missed out on your attention. For some companies, a lack of social media presence means they miss out on a huge section of potential employees or customers altogether!
“But I don’t need social media to interact with my clients and candidates!”, I hear you say. While that may be true for some, wouldn’t it be nicer to have EVEN more people visiting your website, learning about your business and buying your services? If you had one slice of cake every week, but you knew there was the chance to get the whole cake, wouldn’t you take that option and have even more cake to enjoy? Well, if you want some of that beautiful social media cake then I’ve got some great tips to get you started.
All cake comparisons aside, social media has become massively important in the modern business world. It’s an extremely beneficial business tool ready to be utilised by anybody willing to put the effort in, not to mention the fact that there’s pretty much a social media network for any target audience or customer base, so you’re bound to find one that will work for you! This leads me on to the first point:
Identify your target audience and where they are most active
The first step on the road to becoming a social media-savvy automotive business is to find out who your audience is and where you can best reach them. Do some research into your ideal target audience and see which of the numerous social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn to name a few) would be most beneficial to you. It is also worth noting that you don’t need to be active on all of them, focusing your efforts in specific areas instead of spreading yourself too thin can make a huge difference. A bit of concentrated effort in one or two platforms could still yield great results.
Set high standards for the content you post
This is almost a given with social media, how many successful companies would post a low-resolution stock photo on their page in 2019? Quality equals reliability on social media, and if you make sure to include some form of photo or video in your posts, you’ll enjoy much better results than if you only post blocks of text. Make sure to spend some time making your company page look professional, including logos and plenty of information about who you are and what you offer. Adding key information such as your opening hours, contact information and location can make all the difference to a prospective visitor!
Consistency and brand image are key, don’t neglect that homepage
People will engage with a company that posts regular updates, just as they would on a website. If you search up a company and their website looks like it was designed by a robot in 1999, you’d think twice about coming to work for them or buying their product because they don’t keep their brand up to date. They might offer amazing customer service or products but they’ll lose out just because of their dated brand image. The same applies to social media. Let people know what’s new at your business, talk to them, engage with them, make them feel valued by your company – you certainly won’t regret it.
Be as responsive as possible to visitors, they might convert based on a good experience
Responding to messages and comments is perhaps the most important step once you’ve set your page up and have started posting content regularly. If you’re taking days to respond to a person asking about your company, they’re most likely going to go to a competitor instead. By ensuring a positive experience from start to finish, you will increase the likelihood of a conversion.
Use data to improve your social media strategy
Now I know it’s not the most enjoyable task to do, but the importance of analytics cannot be stressed enough. Data gives you an insight into what’s working and what isn’t, allowing you to constantly tweak the way you use social media. Different things work for different people, and by trying a few different strategies you can find the perfect strategy for your company!
These are just a few tips to get you started on your social media odyssey. Building a social media presence takes time, but If you follow these steps and do some research of your own into what works for you, you’ll be reaping the benefits of an increased online presence in no time!