5 Tips for Using Social Media for your Startup

Some clichéd, some not so…

As a startup founder, one attempts to keep one’s outfit lean — indeed the best way to go. The one consequence of doing so is that you, as a founder, must simultaneously wear multiple hats: that of a strategist, a technical project manager, a salesperson, an accountant, an HR manager and above all, a marketing manager. This juggling act does give rise to the dilemma: which is the most important role of all?

I'm not trying to say that all roles listed above are not equally important. Just that you need to market to get the word out about your startup.

I'm also not trying to say that marketing channels such as advertising (traditional and online) or physical networking are not important. Just that Social Media could give you the widest, most engaged reach.

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With that in mind, let’s dive into 5 tips on using social media to market your startup.

NOTE:

1. You may have read some or all, but it won't hurt to go through them again.

2. Using Twitter & Facebook as examples, but tips can be applied to all networks.

1. Grab the Turf

As a startup, nothing comes easy, not even desired social media usernames. The very instant you’ve decided on a name, be sure to claim the Twitter handle and the Facebook vanity URL, at the very least. Some startups have discovered, to their disadvantage, the consequences of not doing so. There are a number of trolls out there on the lookout for such potential situations.

2. Define your Objective

Do not believe anyone who says you can't simultaneously do both on social media — brand building and sales!

All social media campaigns fall into 2 categories: brand building or revenue-oriented. You CAN have a campaign that overlaps. However, for the sake of establishing and measuring relevant KPIs, be sure to define which is your primary objective — generating awareness about the brand or driving sales.

If your primary objective is to build a brand, you should measure engagement levels with your followers or target audience. Instead, if social media is a sales channel for you, be sure to embed tracking mechanisms in the same and measure your click-throughs and conversions.

3. Be Visual

The first rule you must learn about social media content is to be visual! Your audience consumes your content by seeing; make it less about reading. In present times where user attention is a scarce commodity, being able to communicate effectively within split seconds could make the difference between a click and a feed-scroll.

For Twitter, use Twitter Cards, GIFs.
On Facebook, use creative images, videos, link previews.

4. React

Yes, react to developments in your industry/sphere, react to global news, react to local incidents, react to most anything. Primarily for 3 reasons, doing so:

1. Humanises the brand;
2. Demonstrates you have a worthy opinion; and
3. Proves you care for more than just your own business.

Plus, it’s a great way to keep your social media presence busy without putting too much effort into it on a daily basis.

5. Interact

It is one thing to react to situations and circumstances around you, it is quite another to engage your target audience. To do the latter, you must interact with them. Interactions could be as simple as replying to comments (Facebook) and replies/mentions (Twitter).

The behavior could also manifest itself through you tagging or mentioning other brands or individuals in your posts (Facebook as well as Twitter). Such an act prompts the other party to take notice and acknowledge out of sheer courtesy; thus also exposing your brand to their network.

6. [BONUS TIP] Automate

Harping back to my point regarding the paucity of time for a startup founder, lifesaver tip: automate your social media! Use tools such as Hootsuite, Buffer, Tweetdeck or even Facebook’s own schedule feature to plan your social media activity in advance. This helps to ensure your online presence is an active presence, while also delivering you from the associated distractions of intermittent social media.

Now go out there and concentrate on building that startup of yours! Plan a digital marketing campaign. Be sure to leverage the power of social media to spread word about you, your product or your service.

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We'd love to hear your feedback on the 5 Tips shared in this article.

Should you have any questions, do get in touch

@abinitiohk
abinitiohk.com
atin@abinitiohk.com

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ab.Initio..HK Ltd. is a Hong Kong-based digital marketing agency.
Our expertise lies in Social Media Management, and we swear by the power of social media! We manage client accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, among other networks; helping them build their brands online, reach out to their audience and generate revenue.