Introduction

I wanted to start this Blog as an informative page for a class that I am currently enrolled in. The class is STCO 422 at Liberty University and I will be posting information on the subject of Social Media, specifically Social Media Best Practices. Social Media has become an extremely important thing when it comes to business in 2019. A good social media team can make or break a company, as well as expand the reach and growth of a company. Social Media Best Practices is defined as the study of the best way to improve and run a social media page. I was doing some research today and I found an interesting article on the website Sprout Social. The article was titled “5 Social Media Best Practices Every Marketer Must Follow”. In this Blog I will be posting the first practice that Sprout Social mentions and then will be posting the other four practices as the class goes on next week. According to the article, the first practice is to Define Your Networks or Themes. It later goes on to state “Each network provides unique outlets to your audience. How you use and set up your social media themes gives viewers insight into what to expect out of your channels. For example, some of the most popular businesses on social media have a specific theme or notoriety for their channels. Target highlights it’s bright and summery colors on Instagram, but this doesn’t mean each channel has to be exactly the same. In fact, it’s much more the opposite. Most businesses prefer to use Twitter as a social customer care tool, while Instagram is more for creative, audience building techniques.” The article went on to give a list of brands that have their themes mastered on Social Media, including companies like Casper, AskPlaystation, AirBNB, and Microsoft. The article went on to talk about the different types of themes stating, ” User-generated Content: Encourage users to submit their own content to post on your Instagram account. Urban Outfitters regularly uses Instagram to promote various levels of user-generated content. This helps boost trust in your community and shows there’s a human behind the username. Humor/Lighthearted Content: Brands like Casper, Denny’s and Hamburger Helper rely on being the comedian among the crowd on Twitter. Just look at what Wendy’s is doing with their fan asking for a year’s worth of free chicken nuggets. However, there are huge pitfalls to this theme, so be cautious. Engagement Driven Questions: What’s one of the best ways to garner a response from your audience? Ask questions! It’s simple and easy to do whether you’re on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or even Instagram. Just remember to be present and ask thoughtful questions that will actually drive engagement. Behind the Scenes Content: Instagram is perfect for brands to take users behind the scenes of their company. Instagram Stories is the ideal tool to show your audience a more raw and authentic real-time look into what makes your business unique. Highly Visual Images or Videos: How do some Instagram accounts have hundreds of thousands of followers without selling anything? More likely than not, their content is highly visual and absolutely engaging. If you don’t have an artistic eye for Instagram, find someone who does. Products in a Unique Light: So most people know your business name, but do they know what you do? Use unique product shots or customer testimonials to showcase your brand in a new light. GetStat, a search analytics tool, uses GIFs and industry stats to highlight unique findings for users.” As I said, I will be posting the remaining practices as I continue to post on this blog. I hope you enjoy and find the information helpful!

https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-best-practices/ – Here is the link to the website