5 Simple Tips to Increase Social Media Engagement

Flacks, we all need help. Digital is not where "things are going." It is where things are at. Unfortunately, many PR pros are being left in the dust out of ignorance or even "good ol' day" syndrome. There are the ubiquitous "social media agencies" snatching your prospects everywhere. And why? Because we are not taught what they already know (or troll the Interweb to learn). If your agency doesn't have a dedicated social media person, well first, shame on you. Lastly, bring these simple tips up to your client and watch engagement increase. Oh, and give yours truly and the gang at PR Newser some love when you do. Kthanks. The tips after the jump... 1. Ask Questions. You are not a Kardashian, a Bieber or a Gaga. You aren't even a reality star. In short, to the Twitterverse, your agency account isn't that special so stop ignoring your followers. Whether it's Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or even Quora, a question goes a long way in the realm of engagement. Brands should ask for feedback. People should ask for help. Agencies should ask for thoughts. This is a great way to get insight and pass that on to your clients. 2. 80/20. This is the golden rule of social media, and it goes along with the narcissistic noodling previously mentioned. It's still amazing to me how many PR firms do not know this -- much less abide by this. So, get a pen. G'head, I'll wait. In terms of content, 80 percent focuses on your audience and 20 percent focuses on you. I have worked with several folks who think flipping that equation helps. Not so much. It just makes you a Kardashian, a Bieber or a Gaga. So, good luck with that. 3. Be human. My golden rule for social media is if you are going to major in Buzzword Bingo, stay the hell off social media. Some people just aren't cut out for, you know, real language. FACT: If your post, tweet, pic or question has the word "synergy" in it, Google may blacklist you. Just sayin. (Well, they should. I'm still petitioning that on Change.org.) 4. Stop Being Greedy. Ever gone to the social media links on blog post -- say this one. Look up: See the "tweet" and "like" buttons. There's another reading "SHARE!" While the emphasis was mine, the meaning stays the same. It amazes me how many firms don't share content. They don't follow, retweet or comment. It's like Oprah is friggin' running their Hootsuite account. "The ME Show...starring me, produced by me, created by, you guessed it, me." Grow up, people. We can do better. 5. Wear a Watch. In other words, be timely. DYK: Statistics show that more than 40 percent of people on social media expect a response within one hour? I'm surprised it's that low. Who wouldn't want to know they are being heard? Despite that common sense stat, more than 85 percent of companies do not respond. As in ever. Don't believe me? Try following one of those "big" PR firms. Ask them a question. Compliment their work. Shoot, follow them and watch the crickets chirp in the distance. To many, these tips are so dated and completely overlooked. Then ask yourself, why are posts like these necessary? We need to do better, folks. It's PUBLIC RELATIONS and SOCIAL MEDIA after all. Just sayin'.

Social Pro Daily

5 Simple Tips to Increase Social Media Engagement

Shawn Paul Wood

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Shawn Paul Wood