1. It is very important to plan your social media platform operations

When your business moves online, social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest can be a quick way to get started. Because, two-way conversations on social media help you connect with current or potential customers to understand their needs, build trust, and encourage purchases.

It’s easy to sign up for a social media account, but it takes a lot of time to successfully build a brand image and even maintain it, so it’s important to develop an operating plan before you start.

2. Benefits of using social media for foreign trade enterprises

Keys to using a social media strategy that works for your business:

(1) Understand your own business strengths so you can set goals

(2) Choose the right social media platform and start using it

(3) How to prepare engaging content and publish it regularly

(4) How to respond to feedback and keep the conversation active

(5) Criteria for judging the success of the plan and learning to optimize your plan

You'll also get tips for ongoing management of your social media accounts so you can experience less stress and more success.

Three ways your business can benefit from social media include:

♦ Connect with Customers: Post updates, news, videos, offers, and other fresh content to stay top of mind with existing customers and grow your network to find new ones.

♦ Build Trust: When your customers share positive reviews and recommend your products and services to their social networks, it’s more influential than just you talking about yourself.

♦ Understand Your Customers: Paying attention to which posts get the most views, likes and shares will tell you exactly what your customers want and help you focus your future marketing efforts.

Keep these benefits in mind when creating your social media plan to ensure your strategy matches your business goals.

3. Five steps to successfully create a corporate brand social media platform

You can throw up a Facebook page today, but taking a little time to plan will pay off. Five steps to help you minimize frustration and achieve your goals.

Step 1: Choose your platform

Social networks big and small can be effective, depending on what aligns with your goals.

• What platforms do your customers and competitors use? Are they active on the big platforms like Facebook and Twitter? Also, find out if there are niche platforms like TripAdvisor for your industry.

• Which platforms are a good fit for your business? Is your network personal and well suited to Facebook? Or is a professional platform like LinkedIn a better fit?

• What types of content will bring great success to your business? Are photos on Instagram and Pinterest the best way to showcase your merchandise? Would very short posts on Twitter or longer articles on Medium work better for you? Can you showcase your products or expertise through videos on YouTube?

Step 2: Create a business profile

Build your presence on the social network of your choice. You can do this one at a time or multiple at once, depending on your resources.

• Choose a short, memorable name (or "handle") for your business identity. If your company name is available, this is often the strongest choice. If photographed, get creative by adding your location or a feature that makes you unique, such as MegaSurfMaui or DiscountSneakers.

• Add basic information like your location, phone number, email address, and a description of your business.

• Upload images you want for your Page, such as a logo and profile banner.

Step 3: Start networking

Growing your following takes time, so start right away and don't get discouraged.

• Invite your customers to your page. Try these ideas: Place a logo on your store and include links to your social profiles in your emails, business cards, and website. Run a contest or offer a discount to get customers to follow your page and share it with their friends.

• Don’t be afraid to directly ask customers to follow your page and add a review. They may not have thought of it, but may be happy to support your business.

Step 4: Post and chat regularly

A quiet social media page won’t help you achieve your goals, so it’s important to share quality content regularly.

• Think about topics that your customers and prospects would value, then share useful and engaging content. As you think about fresh content, here are some ideas to get started:

• Share expertise that only an expert might know, like if you’re a coffee shop, show your followers how you steam milk.

• Highlight a special offer or sale. Show your followers what it is or what it looks like.
• Provide a behind-the-scenes look at your business. Introduce followers to employees they interact with or tell stories about suppliers or producers.
• Create a calendar for your scheduled posts. Here’s an example to get you started:

  • Monday. Release of weekly special edition.

  • Wednesday. Post a short tutorial.

  • Saturday. Post something going on behind the scenes (like a delivery of fresh produce).

  • Look at your list and decide how often you can post. Can you commit to daily or weekly engagement? Start slow and see how much effort it takes to create good content.

  • Take the time to listen to your followers. Businesses can make the most of social media when it comes to two-way conversations. Be sure to read comments and respond in kind. Note which posts generate positive impacts and plan to be more like those.

Pro Tip!

Reuse content across different social media platforms to expand your reach. If needed, adapt it to fit the format and audience rather than starting from scratch. Try using social media management tools like Hootsuite and Hubspot to schedule posts across multiple platforms and save yourself a lot of work.

Modernize your marketing and build relationships with customers on social. With Hootsuite, you can build your online reputation, increase your social presence, and meet your customers where they are online.

Stop jumping between channels with HubSpot social media management tools. Easily post to social networks in the same place you build your campaigns, and tie all activity to your business' bottom line.

Step 5: Track and measure success

You’re not done until you evaluate the impact of your posts and adjust your plan to optimize results.

♦ Each social media platform has a way to track which features are working well. You can check likes, shares, and comments for each post, or use a social media management tool to report the results in one place. Also, try to go beyond likes and shares to better understand if social media is having a real impact on your business. You can use website analytics to see how users interact with your website. Ask your customers how they found you, what inspired them to visit or purchase online, and if they cited your social media presence.

♦ Use data and reports to understand which posts provide the best return for your efforts. Determine which formats perform best and on which days customers are most engaged. Adjust your schedule and check if these adjustments lead to better results.

Creating social media accounts for your business to connect with customers, build trust, and understand their needs may seem like easy work, but actually maintaining them can be a lot of work. Doing a little preparation can help you choose the best platforms and design a feasible and effective content plan, so you can avoid pitfalls, better post, listen, and respond on social platforms, engage customers, and adjust your plan for the best results.