Whatever you do, you have to be present and manage your presence on Social Networks , on the most diverse digital platforms where potential clients of your business “ live ” virtually and interact.
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What Does It Mean to Manage Your Social Media Presence?
On the Internet you can find multiple definitions related to this concept, but you already know that we care more about the functional part of the concepts than about the theoretical or academic definition of things . From that point of view, in its broadest conception:
“Managing your social media presence (or, as it is known in English, “Social Media Management”) is the process of monitoring the participation of your brand and the subjects related to your business in the conversations and interactions that occur throughout the multiple digital platforms established on the Internet; as well as evaluating the data and information that emanates from these instances to ensure a greater degree of commitment from the potential market with your brand.”
Today there are dozens, perhaps hundreds of these platforms, in addition to those known to everyone, such as Facebook , YouTube , Twitter , LinkedIn , Bettizens and Instagram , etc. It is practically impossible, and not at all functional, for your brand to be present in each and every one of these digital settlements, so you will have to start by choosing which ones you want to be present in and with what degree of intensity in each one.
Most businesses use the first four listed in the previous paragraph, but if you’re looking to sell to other businesses (B2B) and build a reputation as an expert, you’ll still need to use Linkedin. And so, depending on your products and goals, you might also be on Pinterest , Snapchat , or many others.
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How do I know which social media networks I should participate in?
There is no recipe or unique formula to answer this question. However, everyone agrees that the starting point is very simple and the same for everyone: identify where your potential customers spend their time most often : that is where you need to be.
Now, life will be in charge of letting you know that not only can you not be on all the social platforms in the digital world, but that you will not be able to dedicate the same level of effort to all of them, so your second step is to determine your priorities , that is, where you will put the greatest efforts, the greatest emphasis, and of course the greatest investment.
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Components of Managing Your Social Digital Presence
There are many factors and details to consider when it comes to managing your social media presence, but most of them can be grouped into three main components:
Social Listening : This is the process of monitoring digital conversations (feedback) to understand what consumers are saying about your brand, your competitors, and the needs and trends in your niche market. And although it is called that, it is not about passive listening, but proactive listening. Managing digital communities also includes answering questions, commenting on various topics, and even offering solutions and alternatives.
Social Analytics : refers to the process of collecting information, specific data, general data, as well as various “ pieces ” of information about how users of digital platforms interact with your brand and those of your competitors. It is a unique and modern form of Business Intelligence , through which you can determine which digital social participation techniques, strategies and tools are most appropriate for your business and which ones are giving you the best results.
Social Engagement : Social engagement is an effective and popular method of strengthening interaction and affinity between your brand and your consumers. Prolonged participation in social media will help develop brand loyalty and can ultimately result in customers advocating for your products or services and developing loyalty to them. Both engagement and loyalty do not happen spontaneously. They are the result of a planned, controlled and managed process at the highest level within your business. In other words, it is not an exclusive attribute of the “ community manager ” but should be a priority of the business owners and senior managers.
Managing Your Social Media Presence Is a Complex Phenomenon
Many people take it lightly and think that managing participation on digital platforms is limited to having a content publication plan and keeping the business pages updated on Facebook, Linkedin or whatever network they participate in.
It’s actually much more than that. Managing your social media presence requires tools that allow you to listen and talk; analyze data, understand the need and/or trend, and establish a dialogue. The two key concepts here are: DIALOGUE and PARTICIPATE , making your potential consumers and current clients part of the dialogue, the conversation… so that they actively participate and are not just part of one or another group on Facebook or mere respondents to a virtual survey.
Managing your Social Media Presence has also evolved since the beginning of these digital platforms. Today, it is not possible to generate engagement with your brand if you are not able to anticipate certain needs of your market and focus them appropriately in your social interactions; if you do not direct them to where they can solve their problems (be it a department of your company, one of your colleagues or even a competing company if you are not in a position to do so); and if you do not keep them updated on the most important aspects related to your business or the field in which you operate.
Just so you understand me clearly, it’s not enough to have a wonderful website. If your business is a mechanic’s shop, you will not only have to help your clients with the repair and maintenance of their cars, but you will also have to keep them informed about how they can extend the life of their vehicle, or how to save fuel, where to buy the best tires, etc. If you have an Events Hall, your task will not only be to offer good packages for the celebration of Weddings, Quinces, Birthdays and Corporate Events, but also about the trends in clothing for each type of party, how and where to buy the best wedding dresses, or where Quinceañeras prefer to go on vacation, among hundreds of other topics. Without that, there will be no dialogue or commitment .
Social media is rapidly becoming an indispensable resource for the attention and care of Internet users, prospects and buyers, so you will also have to see it as an extension of your Customer Service.
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Tools to Manage Your Presence on Social Media
Now, don’t be scared by the complexity of the phenomenon, or think that because you are a small company, or even a single person, you can’t take charge of this important strategy. There are many great tools that will help you manage your presence on social networks. Some are really expensive and are not within the reach of most SMEs, but others have a very low monthly cost or you can even use them completely free of charge.
We are going to mention below what we consider to be the 5 Best Digital Tools for your “ social media management ”. And although on this site we occasionally use affiliate commissions, in this case none of these companies is paying us a single cent for mentioning them. We selected them for their quality, efficiency and for being free:
#1. Buffer App.
This phenomenal tool, known simply as Buffer , allows you to set up profiles for your main social networks (just one in the free version and up to 8 if you pay $15 a month). From here you can schedule what you post well in advance, so you can always have fresh content and avoid the Bermuda Triangles, that is, those periods of time when for one reason or another you disappear and don’t post anything, affecting the loyalty of those who follow you. Buffer also has advanced payment options that are within reach of medium-sized companies, and even many small ones.
#2. Hootsuite.
Hootsuite is very similar to Buffer, with the advantage that its free version is also available in Spanish , and the disadvantage that many of its best extensions require an additional payment. The free plan allows you to manage 3 social profiles, schedule 30 content posts, and generate leads with social surveys. You can also use basic analytics and two RSS integrations.
#3. TweetDeck.
If you use Twitter to promote your business (and if you don’t, you should!), you can’t live without TweetDeck , which lets you customize your feed, create and manage your lists and searches, and add accounts for your team members. It’s free for Twitter members. Now there’s a massive update out, known as Tweeten or TweetNapp , that greatly improves the functionality of the original tool.
#4. SocialOomph.
It is partly similar to the first two, but SocialOomph in its free version only covers Twitter. To use its multiple – and very efficient – functionalities on other social networks, you will have to pay $17.97 per month for its Professional version.
#5. Friends+Me.
Friends+Me also has a free option and includes support for many social networks. While the free plan may not be your best option for managing your social media presence, that version allows you -in addition to several interesting features- integration with Zapier (two-step automations), which can multiply and even exponentiate your social interactions.
To finish this section, I would like to mention Zoho Social , which, although it no longer has a free option, and you would have to pay $10 a month for its standard version ($8.33 if you pay annually), includes very interesting features, such as integration with Zoho CRM, Facebook Leads Ads , a plugin for the SocialShare browser , and very advanced reports. You can try it for free for 15 days, and you can find it completely in Spanish.
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By way of conclusions
The interaction of your brand, your products and services, and your business in general on digital platforms is not something static, which remains current and unchangeable over time. On the contrary, it is something that changes with extraordinary agility, so managing your presence on social networks becomes a dynamic process of interaction, learning and more action.
Try the free version of the tools we recommend and choose the ones that best suit your needs. Design your social media strategy and the way you are going to manage it, subscribe to our Newsletter to be constantly informed about the latest developments regarding this and other components of Digital Marketing, contact us if you need any help , and remember that “ practice makes perfect .”