This is a contributor’s blogpost …

 

Any business or individual looking to seriously promote themselves today must be well-versed in social media. When used the right way, it is a powerful marketing tool. Here are some tips on how to use it.

 

Know the Platform

 

Different social media platforms demand different types of content. Being able to demonstrate an awareness of the nuances of each platform will go a long way to helping you promote yourself effectively. If you aren’t posting the right type of content for the platform you are on, you will alienate your potential audience, and any attempts you make at promoting yourself will inevitably fall flat.

 

It is better to not operate on a platform at all than it is to operate on it the wrong way. If you aren’t on there at all, the worse that will happen is that people won’t be able to find you. However, if you engage with the platform in the wrong way, you might end up damaging your reputation. Have a look at the Facebook profile of Daniel Handler – AKA. Lemony Snicket – for an example of a social media page with awareness.

 

Produce Worthwhile Content

 

Your social media pages will be judged by the content you post on them. If you want your page to be an effective marketing platform, you need to keep it updated with worthwhile content. Again, having an awareness of what constitutes worthwhile content will make a big difference in terms of how well it is received.

 

Photo courtesy of Raw Pixel via Pixabay

 

Interact with Fans

 

One of the big advantages of social media as a marketing platform is that it makes it easy to directly interact with fans, customers, and clients. You should take advantage of this at every opportunity as people are much more likely to pay attention to your social media page if they see that you respond to questions and comments from your audience.

 

Obviously, it is important that you interact with fans the right way. This means that you should always be polite and courteous, even in the face of hostility, and you should take their thoughts and opinions seriously.

 

Be Consistent

 

This is one of the most important aspects of running a successful social media marketing strategy. Your social media page can be whatever you want it to be and do whatever you want it to do. However, it will be much more effective if you are able to maintain a consistent approach throughout. This means that you should post updates at relatively regular intervals, making it easy for those who want to see your updates to know when and where to find them. You should also make sure that your social media page doesn’t suddenly pivot and start introducing content that contradicts that which came before it.

 

When used the right way, a social media page can be a very powerful platform from which to market yourself. Whether you are a creative person looking to get your work in front of more people, or you’re a self-employed entrepreneur who wants to promote your business ventures, social media provides a unique way to market yourself directly to potential customers.