Hey Everyone,
I found this article on http://www.youngentrepreneur.com and had to share it with you guys. In today's social media driven world it is important to know how to make it work for you and how to handle the situation when it turns against you. It is so easy to gain press, both negative and positive. One thing you must remember when building your brand and indulging in social media is that you are always being watched! So remember to always protect your brand and maintain high PR alerts at all times. Read below for some great tips.
Brand management is more important than ever in a society that has currently grown accustom to the internet being readily available through smartphones and tablets. Managing your brand goes beyond the usual keyword searches and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tactics, and moves heavily into social media. Socialmedia platforms are breeding grounds for both positive and negative word of mouth and if utilized properly, they can be a large part of your marketing plan.
It is important to remember SEO is still important to achieve and maintain online visibility, but the rapidly growing popularity of social media sites has forced companies to consider how they will manage that visibility once they obtain it. Online brand management is highly important for any company wishing to grow and the most effective way to promote a positive brand image consistently across the internet.
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn are just a few of the popular platforms companies can now use to increase their visibility. Socialnetworking sites are not only great to push products or services, but can be used to build communities of brand advocates. Through contests, coupons, promotions, and events, a company can keep their customers interacting and loyal to the company.
While social media sites can be a great way to reach a completely new client base, they can also quickly become a company’s worst nightmare. Social media sites – including forums and discussion boards such as Angie’s List – can become flooded with undesirable comments regarding your business and destroy a brand through negative word of mouth. It is important to comment or respond to all negative press to show the customer you are trying to rectify the situation.
In today’s socially connected world, consumers want to be an integral part of the businesses they support. Social networking sites allow you to immediately apologize and state the solutions being sought before brand loyalists begin revolting. Not only do these updates tend to calm the storm, but also can increase brand loyalty as customers like know they are being listened to and the company really cares. Remember, not only negative comments need a response. A company can build brand advocates through thanking customers who give company reviews.
To avoid ruining a brand with social media sites, companies must remain consistent in the image they convey across these platforms, and must manage them daily. Posting to Facebook once a month won’t cut it. Facebook users want solid content every day if possible, but if the content is dry and not interesting skip it and go every other day. Posting too much on Facebook can lead to your connections un-liking you. Twitter has a completely different user base. Twitter followers expect to see three to five posts per day.
To get the highest return on brand management, SEO techniques should be synergized with social media to convey a positive brand image across all platforms.
Matt Polsky is the Senior Content and Reputation manager for VA Mortgage Center, providing insights learned from the nation’s leading provider of VA home loans.
Article taken from: http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/blog/build-a-strong-brand-while-you’re-young/.
