Last week, Adtrak welcomed a number of members from the BBSA (the British Blind and Shutter Association) to the Adtrak offices for a social media workshop. We’ve held similar sessions before, including at the BALI headquarters (the British Association of Landscape Industries) with some of their members, and they are always a huge success.
In fact, one of last week’s guests, Charlotte Liccia from Window Shades, said:
“Cracking social media workshop from Anna and Ram at Adtrak! They gave a fantastic presentation into the background and benefits of using social media for marketing within the blinds industry. Absolutely worth the trip down to Nottingham! Look forward to seeing you soon for any future workshops!”
Tracey, from Blinds & Awnings, said the training was “very useful” and a “great addition to any business”. Similarly, Neil Hayter from Bespoke Blinds & Poles, said the workshop was “a great session for anybody looking to get their business on social media, as well as a gentle reminder for those already dabbling.”
To get an idea of what’s included in our social media workshops, here’s a snippet of what we discussed with the BBSA last week…
The evolution & importance of social media
Since Facebook was created in 2004, social media has evolved massively and has dramatically shaped the way we communicate with friends, family and colleagues. In addition, it has also added a new dimension to the way in which businesses push their brands online.
It is now more important than ever for businesses to utilise social media effectively. It’s a fantastic way to communicate and engage with both current and prospective customers. It also helps to increase brand awareness and improve brand authority.
Where to start?
For a social media novice, the prospect of setting up and running various platforms can be daunting. You need to understand why you want to use social media, what you hope to gain and determine the audience you want to reach. In addition, you must be prepared to dedicate time and resources to ensuring they’re run successfully.
It’s important to understand the various rules and formats of each platform and then keep these platforms regularly updated with fresh content. You should also make sure you respond and engage with followers in a timely manner. Furthermore, it’s crucial to analyse the successes of each campaign. Using platform analytics, for example, can help you identify which aspects may benefit from paid social marketing.
Social media content
Once your channels are set-up, and you’ve largely understood the difference between a 140 character limit tweet and a 63,206 character Facebook update (we’d highly recommend you don’t reach this by the way), it’s time to start planning your content.
Your social media channels should be regularly updated and it’s important that you include a mix of topics. We use a 2:8 rule when planning social media content. That means 20% should be self-promotional and actively promote your brand and the other 80% should focus on quality and provide interesting material for your audience. This will help to keep your audience engaged and entertained, making them more likely to share your content with their friends and family.
It’s also a great idea to align your Social Marketing strategy with your Content Marketing strategy. This will ensure that there is interesting content for you to post on social media, whilst also driving people back to your website with the hope and aim of a conversion. Social media is a also great way to get your content marketing efforts seen by a wider audience, who are already interested in what it is that you have to say.
Social media with Adtrak
We offer a range of social media services, here at Adtrak. From social media management to our social media workshops, we have a variety of options available to suit your needs and business requirement. For more information about how best to use social media to promote your business online, just get in touch!
