There are over 2 billion people on Facebook alone. It’s highly likely that your brand’s supporters and customers are active on social media too. You should leverage such platforms to grow and champion your social cause especially if you're part of a S.E or a NGO.
As such, we spoke to Daryll Tan, the Co-Founder of OpenMinds Resources. It’s a social media marketing and analytics company that’s partnered with brands like Sunway, Hallmark, among others in Malaysia.
He shared 7 tips with us that can help take your social media performance to the next level.
1. Have a clearly defined purpose and vision of your social cause
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You need to define a purpose, and set common goals that’ll pique the interest of other like-minded people online.
You can then push your message on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp, etc. Encourage your audience to share the content, and lead them to a group where everyone shares the same cause.
2. Focus on the right platform
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Most Malaysians utilise Facebook and Instagram more than other social media platforms. As such, try to focus on these two for a start.
“However, take note that these 2 platforms function differently. Use FB for more information and education based content. Use IG for more BTS, lifestyle, product-focused, people-focused showcase,” Daryll mentioned.
“Besides that, utilising WhatsApp messages and sharing in groups can be effective in getting the news across to multiple groups of people.”
3. You may be cash-strapped but don’t let that stop you.
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“Keep pursuing your goal. Focus on one social media platform first i.e., Instagram. Post consistently. Don’t be afraid to post 2-3 times a day even,” Daryll advised.
“If there are no proper funds, time is money. Carve out time to write short articles (with keywords) and post them up on your website’s blog. Produce at least 4 articles a month, slowly increase it. This will help your SEO.”
You could also reach out to micro-influencers within your industry. Share your cause with them, and get them to share your content with their audience.
4. Always take the higher road when you’re dealing with negativity on social media
You’ll have to deal with negativity online as your social cause grows over time. Remember to avoid reacting harshly or even emotionally to a negative response.
“Handling a social cause can be sensitive. The slightest reaction can cause havoc. Respond instead. Take time to digest the matter and act wisely. Always take the higher road. Unless of course, the person is over the limit and harming other readers emotionally or mentally,” Daryll said.
5. Don’t be afraid to run social media campaigns.
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Set an end goal for your campaign, and then back engineer it to set a budget. You can also explore A/B testing (also known as split testing) when running your campaigns.
A/B testing is all about showing two or more versions of an ad to users at random. You can then determine which version performs better based on statistical analysis. You can learn more about this on Facebook’s Blueprint.
“As S.Es and NGOs, always leverage on your community to tell the story for you. Always use your own personal profiles to proudly share your activities, events, causes, people, impact, etc.,” Daryll advised.
You can also keep an updated content calendar for at least 2 weeks. This way, you’ll know what to post on your different social media platforms. Also get your friends to share your postings and articles.
6. Use the native tools on Facebook/Instagram for content posting.
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You can also use sentiment analysis and analytics tools like Round Up Stats.
Round Up Stats for example, connects data from your different social media platforms and displays them all in one single dashboard. You can even make use of their free pricing for startups.
Use other tools like Slack for team messaging, and Google Analytics to track the number of visitors to your site. You can also play around with different tools but remember not to go overboard.
7. Don’t create new fans. Find new segments.
Your audience on social media can be divided into 3 groups. People that just like your brand are your followers.
On the other hand, consumers like to purchase your products, and recommend them to their friends. The last and most active group would be your advocates. These people are already existing customers. They provide word-of-mouth, and they even defend your brand when necessary.
It takes time to transition from one level to the next. So, be patient.
“The key is to slowly guide them, and give them a good overall experience. (From info – packaging – purchase – delivery – complaints – returns). Repeat this, and you’re on your way to grow your advocates,” Daryll said.
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“Don’t create new fans. Find new segments. Expand your pool, and angle your message differently to reach a larger and wider group.”
Championing your social cause on social media may be daunting but it can be done. While you could multiple tricks and tools, it essentially boils down to this.
"Ideally, work in a team with clear functions. Always solve the overarching problem and don’t just plan towards a single platform; find a solution by using multiple platforms that tie in to one big strategy / ecosystem," Daryll said.
*Feature Image Credit: Facebook Blueprint