Having an online presence is crucial to succeed in today’s business world. The majority of businesses now have a website, and the majority of them also use social media, but that doesn’t mean that they’re doing it effectively.
To really make the most of what social media, as a tool, has to offer your business, tap into real-time social. With the term ‘social never sleeps’ at the heart of the concept, real-time social is all about posting on the fly, tapping into what’s happening now and creating viral content.
These five tips will transform your social media presence from predictable bore to viral maestro:
1. Mobile, mobile, mobile
Everything you do has to be mobile focused, not just mobile optimised, mobile focused. More people are using social media on mobile than desktop every day and this is where you need to operate. There’s no point in sharing an image on Facebook if it doesn’t display properly on mobile. This also means that you need to be on mobile. Don't wait until you're logged in, sitting at your desk to check your timelines and notifications, keep regularly updated whenever you have a chance throughout the day and stay always on.
2. Always on
Forget about scheduled posts, dedicated campaign tracking links and optimum post times, real-time social happens in the moment, which means you need to be always on. Posting on the weekend, check. Posting late in the evening, check. Posting from the departure lounge on your way to relaxing family holiday, check. If something is happening you will be one of the first to join the conversation. Adopt a newsroom culture for your social media and take action as each new headline (or gossip scandal!) breaks.
3. Culture vulture
Think outside of your usual target market, beyond industry related content and embrace the popular. Sports news, politics, celebrity gossip, it doesn’t matter. If you can think of something witty and relevant to say, jump in! You never know how far and wide your post could travel. Understand what the world is talking about, the latest headlines and most used hashtags. Popular news moves fast, so you have to too. Be daring in your convictions, but don’t stray too far from the professionalism of your business, you want to appear witty not crass.
4. Film it, post it
Native social video is now performing better than any other format on newsfeeds and timelines, so embrace it. If you’re at an event or witnesses something interesting, film it and post it. Want to share a funny clip as comment on a viral news piece? Get it up there. Whether you’re on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, keep it short, sweet and to the point for maximum impact.
5. Speed and relevance
At the core of real-time social, speed and relevance can be your winning ticket or your ultimate downfall. Jumping on the bandwagon too late will mean that your post is left unseen, lost in the sea of earlier posts. Your clever, sharp comment will now be seen as redundant and slow and will do more harm than good to your online reputation. If your social posts go through and internal sign-off process, ensure that it is seamless and instantaneous, otherwise forget it. Equally important is relevance, don’t piggyback on trending content hoping to get free exposure for your business, you’re missing the point. Step in with a sly and hilariously funny remark and, if clever enough and posted early enough, receive your reward of viral shares, exposing your brand as intelligent and witty and boosting your social credibility.
Discover more expert tips and tricks with our social media guide. Download your copy here.
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