Believe it or not, social media does more than show you pictures of friends’ babies. It can be a key tool for your business. Maybe you have a Facebook page set up because someone told you it was “important to do” but haven’t seen any results. Or maybe you don’t have any social presence at all because you don’t see the value in it (or got really freaked out by an episode of Black Mirror). Those are understandable apprehensions, but are also symptoms of not using social to its full potential.

Or maybe it’s a time issue. Between Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, it can feel like a lot to manage – and we’re not even getting into Google+ and the seemingly endless amount of new network popping up everyday. Each network comes with its own parameters and demographics, but there are certain core concepts that are universal. Adhering to these ideas below will help you get ROI from social without wasting your time.

Social Media Is Your Voice

Just like your personal Facebook and Twitter accounts are online extensions of yourself, your business pages should do the same. Social media is the voice of your company. If you’re not posting, you’re effectively silencing yourself. But it’s not just about post frequency – you want to craft posts that exude your business’ personality. For a candy shop, that may mean writing in a bubbly tone. For a financial firm, that may mean keeping your posts straight-forward and informational. It all depends on your audience. Speaking of which…

Social Media Expands Your Audience

Social media is one of the easiest ways to gain visibility for your business. By being active on your accounts as well as getting shares and retweets will help people find your account and consequently your business. As with any service, you’ll get what you’re willing to invest. Budgeting money to boost posts and run targeted ads are a guaranteed way to have your posts show up to new users. Facebook and Twitter’s targeting tools allow you to pinpoint demographics, getting as granular as age, location, occupation, interests, etc. This means you can reach your prospects directly.

Social Media Builds Relationships

Just as social media is an extension of your brand, so are all your interactions with other users. When people comment on your posts or send you a private message, this is a great opportunity to establish a personable tone for your business. It shows you care about the individuals, not just their money. You don’t have to wait around for these interactions either. When you write a tweet or post, pose it as a question to your followers. “What do you think of this development in the cloud industry?” or “What are your favorite memories from our resorts?” or “How do you use our products around the house?” or whatever is applicable to you and your industry.

By following other industry thought leaders or even your own customers, you can take the initiative and start the conversation yourself. Maybe you see someone share an article that relevant to your expertise. This is a great time to weigh in. Be careful not to use this is a soapbox to sell your business – people don’t always like being sold to and you’ll be better served having a pleasant and informative interaction.

Social Media Can Be Automated and Streamlined

This all sounds like a lot of work, right? Well, it doesn’t have to be. Thanks to content management tools like Hootsuite and SproutSocial that are specifically designed for social, you can plan out a week’s, month’s, or even a year’s worth of content if you were really eager. If you’re stressed out about making a post everyday, using a scheduler tool like one of these eases the burden. Even better, you can run Twitter and Facebook accounts all from the same browser tab. The Hootsuite and SproutSocial interfaces let you look at all your news feeds simultaneously and let you follow certain hashtags pertaining to your industry.

Maybe now you’re sold on the idea, but you’re not sure you have the time or energy to follow through? We can help. N2Q provides social media marketing services. While these core concepts we’ve outlined here will get you started, there’s not a one-size-fits-all strategy for all businesses. Let us help you define what will work best for you to get that coveted ROI.