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It is safe to say that social media is going to be sticking around for the long haul. What that means for you personally will vary, but for your business, it means you need to be actively posting on, monitoring and connecting on social media. This can be a daunting task, but by implementing the tips below you can maximize your social media efforts.

1. Choose your networks wisely. You don’t need to be everywhere at once. Pick the social network or networks where your audience is the most active. While more than half of the world’s population is on at least one network, the demographics of those networks vary. Don’t waste efforts creating content for platforms where your audience isn’t active.

2. Plan ahead. Creating a content calendar is one of the best ways to maximize your social media efforts. It saves you time trying to come up with social posts on the fly – and often giving up without posting. By planning out your content, you know what imagery and collateral you need. When you plan ahead, you can even schedule out your content to cut down on posting time.

3. Don’t stray from your brand. Just because you’re on social media does not mean you should abandon your brand guidelines. Stick to the colors, messaging and tone you are giving customers on other channels. Whether you’re producing a white paper or an Instagram Story, audiences want consistency. 

4. Engage efficiently. In a dream world, brands would engage with every customer, but that is not realistic. As your engagement grows, you won’t be able to maximize your social media efforts by responding to every tweet and comment. A good rule of thumb is to respond to all negative reviews/comments and a handful of positive ones.

5. Don’t reinvent the wheel. User generated content is one of the easiest ways to share about your brand. Not only does it give your business the authentic voice of a customer, but also it took you zero minutes and resources to produce. Don’t be afraid to share quotes and even images from customers. Just be sure you have their permission first.

6. Focus on the results that matter. The best way to maximize your social media efforts is to spend your time focused on metrics that drive your growth. Set goals and Key Performance Indicators for your brand that make sense. That could be a focus on web traffic and link clicks or reach and engagement.

7. Don’t be afraid to put your money where your mouth is. If you have a piece of news you’d like to use to reach a wider audience or content that you are proud of, consider putting ad dollars behind it. All social media platforms allow you to promote your content in some way or another. Advertisingis one of the simplest ways to maximize your social media efforts.

If you’re a B2B business and think social media isn’t relevant to you, think again. Social media is one of the best places to position yourself as a thought leader and keep your brand top-of-mind. There is also the detailed targeting you can utilize with LinkedIn advertising. Those making purchasing decisions are people just like everyone else, and those people are on social media.

When it comes to social media, your business cannot afford to miss out. There are too many opportunities to connect with your current audience and find new customers. This need to engage on social media doesn’t mean you should devote yourself to it 40 hours a week. But it does mean you need to maximize your social media efforts and actively participate. Hopefully, the provided tips make doing so seem more manageable. If you’re still lost, consider outsourcing your social media management to an agency that specializes in community management. 

inferno is an award-winning brand development, advertising, public relations, design and digital marketing firm based in Memphis, Tennessee. Visit creativeinferno.com for more information. You can also follow inferno on Twitter (@creativeinferno) and Facebook (facebook.com/creativeinferno).