The beauty of social media, as you already know, is its ability to function as a mini-mic of sorts. One that lets you pump-up the volume whenever necessary, giving you the power to speak to just about anyone who’s listening, at any given moment.
That includes talent.
More and more, we’re hearing from businesses that social platforms are a great way of tapping into their talent pool. In fact, we’ve even been hearing a lot more about social presence informing a hiring decision when it comes to a role requiring community management and engagement as a skill.
Maybe it’s not so much of a surprise given the existence of platforms like LinkedIn, but social is changing the way we look for talent and it’s transforming the way we hire.
Whether you’re on top of your social game or just getting started, we like to think of the #1 rule of social media as twofold.
First, you need to be and remain relevant. Sounds easy, but it takes a lot more work than you’d think.
Second, you need to be engaging. Whether you’re blogging or tweeting your heart out, or setting up automated posts – if you’re not engaging, you need to work harder.
Here are a couple of quick tips on what you should (and shouldn’t) be doing in order to make the best of your social media efforts and increase interaction between your employer brand and the talent that could be working for you in the very near future.
Don’t create a conversation where you’re the only one talking – and listening to yourself. Social media was created to engage the same way cronuts were made for inhalation. Be “social” with your efforts. You can start by studying your audience. What are they looking for? What are their general difficulties and how can you help? These are great questions to ask yourself as you begin or continue to engage with your target audience.
Do understand each platform as its own, unique entity. There tends to be the general notion, particularly amongst people just starting to use social, that all platforms have the same functionality and speak to the same people. If you look at the way LinkedIn compares to Facebook, or the way Twitter compares to Snapchat – there are differences worth noting, and the attention you pay to them will likely increase your long term success. Get to know which platform reaches your audience best and go forth.
Don’t be inconsistent. We’ve all heard it so many times (because it’s so very true.) “If Content is King, Consistency is Queen.” Let’s take a minute to visit the importance of consistency. To start, being consistent isn’t difficult if you focus on these 3 areas – your voice, your posts, and your timing.
Your voice matters because it’s how your audience will recognize your brand. And no, it isn’t enough to have a couple of posts that blow people away here and there, or a great profile pic that everyone’s tweeting about. People will forget who you are in between awe-inspiring posts and visually appealing profile pics. Know your brand and create a voice that resonates with your audience to keep them informed and coming back for more.
One last thing about your voice. While it may sound like common sense, it’s not uncommon for a brand’s social initiatives to be in the swing of things without really having nailed down who they are and what they want to sound like, first. Your social strategy, and by extension your life, will become a lot simpler if you’re committed to one persona instead of five.
Your posts matter because they let people know what you’re talking about and why they should listen to you. This goes back to your brand. Are you blogging about cupcakes and thinking of being a little funnier next week? Great. There’s no problem with wanting to push the boundaries, it’s usually a great way to generate reach and tap into an audience other than your usual attendees. But remember, your posts should have a common thread, whether it be the subject matter or your post’s objectives. What you put out there will tell you what people want more of (or no more of.)
Your timing with social is much like your timing in relation to anything else in life. It has to be right, and if that’s too far of a reach, it should aim to be convenient. Social engagement is about relevancy and engagement – like we said up top. So if you’re not sure about what’s going on in the world – or at the very least, the world as it directly relates to your brand, you’re forgoing some great opportunity to create dialogue and increase audience interaction.
It should also be noted that you can’t control every conversation. And as we’re so often reminded, not everything goes according to plan, online interaction included. Since you’re encouraging your audience to engage with you, there may be comments, questions, or concerns voiced very publicly that may not always work in your favor or flatter you. Don’t worry about it! We’re living in a world where people appreciate the internet’s free-flowing environment. In fact it’s actually helping businesses understand their target market. Embrace it – or them, and most importantly – don’t shut them down. If not for the sake of simple etiquette, do it to ensure you’re not alienating members of your audience.
Tweet us about how you engage with your fave brands on social!