If you’re a business looking to take your social strategy up a notch, you should be taking a closer look at social media mentions. How you find content and conversations and how you engage with your audience gives you the upper hand in your brand’s social media marketing strategy. Consumers pay extra attention to those that utilize these practices and go the extra mile to connect with them.
Check out these three ways you can leverage social media mentions:
Use a Reputable Monitoring Tool
Searching for keywords or phrases manually is a pain and something you shouldn’t subject yourself to. Leave it to monitoring tools like Sprout Social, Hootsuite or other similar platforms to do the dirty work. These tools can easily comb through social networks searching for special hashtags, keywords, and more within established time frames, locations, etc. Keep in mind that these tools will only be able to discover posts that are viewable to the public. For users that keep their content set to “private” or “friends only”, it won’t be included in your tool’s search results.
When you find that set of hashtags and phrases that connect with your brand best, tactfully join the conversations that are taking place. It could be as simple as saying “Hello” or complimenting the content being shared. Whatever your approach, be respectful and courteous and remember that good first impressions go a long way.
Give Credit Where Credit Is Due
Sharing content from other social profiles is a great way to inform your audience of things related to your brand and to highlight the work of others. However, it’s important to never claim that particular content as your own. Instead, mention the individual or business’s name within the copy of your post to give proper credit, preferably by tagging them with the “@” symbol. Not only is it the right thing to do, but doing so alerts the user that their content has been shared and provides an opportunity for them to connect and learn more about your business.
This also encourages your audience to continue creating content that could one day be noticed and shared by your brand. It establishes a trust in the business and you’ll likely see advocates for your brand begin to develop.
Engage, Engage, Engage
At some point, your social profiles will likely be used as a customer service tool by your current audience and prospective customers. In our ever-growing digital world, consumers need answers fast and they will forgo the traditional 1-800 number to contact you. Instead, they’ll reach out via social media, sometimes publicly through reviews and post comments and other times privately through direct messages. In both scenarios, be prepared to answer their questions and provide information within a reasonable timeframe.
If someone mentions you on social media, be quick to acknowledge and thank them for the mention. If the opportunity is right, continue the conversation and see how you can better serve them. This forward-thinking approach shows that you have a vested interest in the individual and can, again, create a great first impression that turns into brand advocacy.
Understanding how to leverage social media mentions can positively affect your business. If you feel that you need an extra hand in this area, our social team at Commit Agency is ready to help and discuss your needs!
