203 Social Media Marketing Tips For Small Businesses

Social media networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are the latest trends on the internet today. It offers new opportunities to communicate and improve how people connect and share. It is similar to an online ground where people get the chance to meet and socialise electronically.

But as we all know, business succeeds where people succeed. By recognising that there are a lot of people who log in to social media sites each day, internet marketers have discovered a new marketing strategy for their online businesses.

Nowadays, social media sites are no longer used as an artistic way of connecting, meeting, and sharing with people. In fact, it is considered as one of the most influential advertising means which any businesses can use in connecting to their targeted market niche.

Nevertheless, it is also worth knowing that social media marketing is just similar to a two-edged sword, it has to be wielded accurately. This can be an effective sales tool when used by a skilled marketer. On the other hand, it can be a big disaster, if it falls in the hands of an amateur.

We want to help you avoid the pitfalls of social media marketing, that is why we’ve created a list of 200 tips that can guide you in properly using social media sites. So read on and discover how you can turn social media sites into an effective marketing tool.

Which social media sites to use?

1.  Choose a social media site that is prevalent in your area.

Obviously, you want people to see your social media site, particularly your target market niche. Nevertheless, you need to understand that there are some social media sites that are popular in some countries but not in others. For instance, in Asian countries, more and more people are using Facebook while in Western countries, Twitter is widely used.

2. Consider using numerous social media sites.

If there are several social media sites that are being used in the place where you live, then you might consider signing up an account on all of those social media sites. This is a great way of reaching more people.

Getting started with a social media site

3. Create a draft plan of the contents first

If you don’t want to have a messy start, then you should have a plan. Remember that you want your company to have a good image. Hence, before you start creating your social media account, you should have a plan on what design and contents to use.

4. Come up with an editorial calendar.

Perhaps you have a lot of things in your mind that you want to share with everyone. However, if you want to post all of them at once, then people might get confused. Additionally, you can quickly run out of ideas to share in the future. Therefore, the best thing to do is to create a timeline and plan which things you want to do first and which ones will come next, do this in chronological order.

5. Understand your target market niche

There are millions of people who are joining social media sites. Actually, there is no need of reaching out to all of them. What you should do is concentrate on a specific group of people that could become your potential customers. You should be able to recognise who they are.

6. Check if there is an existing account that has the same name as yours.

Undoubtedly, you want to avoid any confusion with other individuals, group, or organisation. You don’t have any ideas on how these other accounts behave and the things that they do could implicate the image of your company.

7. Use checkusernames.com to create a unique moniker.

After finding out that there are already existing accounts which have the same name as yours or a mockingly similar name, then the best thing to do is visit checkusernames.com so you can come up with a unique alternative.

8. Know how to entice the people in your target market niche.

If you already have a clear vision on who your target market niche is then the next thing that you should do is to determine how you are going to entice them. Be sure to make a research on the things that interest them the most. For instance, if you are selling cosmetics, then most likely, your target market niche is women. So, you could make some video content about makeup tutorials and tricks in order to entice them.

9. Use high-quality images and Photoshop edited photos.

Most often, it’s not the content but it’s all about the appearance that matters. What actually attracts some people into a social media profile is its appearance. In order to make your profile page look more attractive, you should use images, photographs, and pictures.

10. Include high-quality short articles, posts, and comments.

After enticing them with flashy graphics and beautiful page design, your audience will now start looking for relevant content. Unfortunately, if they can’t find anything, then most likely, they will leave. If you want to have some fascinating content, then you can consider hiring writers who will write your posts, comments, and short articles.

11. Be sure that you have the resources needed in regularly maintaining a social media account.

Of course, it’s free to sign up on Facebook and Twitter. However, you also need to hire content writers, video editors, graphics artists, as well as maintenance staff. Also, if you require some advertising then you will be required to pay these social media sites. Be sure that you have a sufficient budget for this.

12. Verify if having a social media account can actually help your company or will it just be a burden.

Having a social media account for your company can give you a lot of benefits, however, there are also some risks. You have to evaluate if you can take these risks.

13. Learn the risks and dangers of having a social media account and check if it is really worth it.

Simple ways of keeping subscribers stuck to your account

14. Your pages should look beautiful and/or professional all the time.

If you can’t do this on your own, then you probably need to hire other people that can do this for you. This is very significant since if your social media profile does not look good, then most likely, people won’t have a good impression of your company.

15. Your page design must be based on the nature of your company.

You cannot just choose a particular design based on your personal taste. Rather, it should be based on the nature of your products or services. For instance, if you are offering products for kids, then be sure to use a design that looks fun and colourful.

16. Post news and new comments regularly.

If you fail to post regularly, then most probably your subscribers will think that your company is not active anymore and is slacking off. If you want to prevent this, then you have to make time to post news and new comments regularly.

17. As much as possible, always respond to questions.

You should not ignore your subscribers. People will certainly have some questions for you. You should be able to provide them with answers. This is one way of showing them that you are courteous and people will surely appreciate it.

18. Do not just use words, try using multimedia once in a while.

If you are just using words and sentences in your announcements, then sooner or later it will get boring even how interesting your posts are. Hence, once in a while, you should try using presentations, images, and videos in conveying what you want to say.

19. From time to time, try changing your design schemes.

Having one design theme all through the year can be very boring. Moreover, it can also make people think that you do not have enough resources. As much as possible, try sporting a new look from time to time. One good suggestion would be to follow the changes of the season such as winter look or summer look. Or you could also consider any approaching holidays such as a Halloween look or a Christmas look.

20. Using a logo is not enough, try uploading more images that are related to your company.

Some companies think that uploading their company logo is already enough. However, this is quite boring. Try posting more images of your company.

21. Upload photos about any recent events that involved your company.

In case your company has recently attended or hosted an event, then you must post pictures of it. This is one way of informing the people that your company is still active.

22. From time to time, you can do some poll questions. This can make people exciting.

Based on some studies, people love answering poll questions, most especially on social media sites. You could try doing this every now and then to entertain your subscribers. Remember that it must be related to your business. For instance, if you are selling products that are related to the fashion industry, then perhaps you can create a poll that will let your subscribers choose who among a list of artists is more fashionable based on their own opinion.

23. Post any updates about new promos that are offered by your company.

One good channel of announcing any recent events and promos offered by your company is through your social media profile. This can entice your subscribers to check your profile regularly.

Take advantage of multimedia content on your Social Media Marketing

24. Be sure to use high-quality media content only, don’t just settle for ordinary quality.

Keep in mind that the quality of the media content that you upload can create a big impact on your company’s image. So, be sure to use high-quality media content only.

25. Rather than uploading videos to your social media account, you could consider using links instead.

Some social media sites have a limitation on the size of the file that you can upload. So, rather than uploading your video to your blog site, you could upload them to Youtube first then you could use the  Youtube URL as a link on your blog site.

26. Use multimedia designs that are appropriate for your targeted market niche.

The design theme that you use for your multimedia contents should correspond to the nature of your business.

27. Always check for any mistakes and correct them before uploading to ensure your credibility.

This is critical most especially if you are hiring other people to create the graphics or videos for you. It is essential that you have to check if there are any errors before you upload it.

28. Verify the upload limitations of the social media that you choose.

For instance, try to investigate how many megabytes can you upload on Facebook. Knowing these limitations can help you plan ahead when it comes to the size of the multimedia file that you are going to use to enhance the look of your page.

29. Delete your oldest multimedia uploads so you can free up your upload limit.

In case you have run out of storage space and you can’t upload your new file, then you can delete some of your previously uploaded media files which are not needed anymore.

30. Recognise which uploads should never be deleted no matter what.

Take note that not all your previously uploaded multimedia files may be removed. Some of these files should stay for your subscribers to see. For instance, the video that you upload which shows the product specs of your main product. This video should stay for your new subscribers to see.

31. HD quality is great but not all the time.

Of course, your subscribers will enjoy having an HD quality video. However, you should consider that this will take a lot of space. Even when using Youtube, an HD file usually takes a longer time to load, most especially on slower connections.

32. When using images, the dimensions do not always have to be big so you can have high quality.

There is a certain implication that the higher the pixels, the clearer and the better the quality. However, this is not always the case. Ultimately, this will depend on the editing. An image with a dimension of 640×480 might look clearer than an image with a dimension of 1024×720.

Tips on using language

33. Choose a language to use.

Most people choose English since it is considered as an international language. However, there are still a lot of people who can’t understand English. In case you are targeting a small locality, then perhaps you can use their language instead.

34. Try duplicating pages that are translated to different languages.

If you are targeting a market niche that is comprised of people from various countries and ethnic backgrounds, then maybe you can create several accounts that use a particular language.

35. Use the proper tone and language that fits your targeted market niche.

For instance, for fashion items, you must sound trendy, for kid’s toys, you should make it more fun and for serious stuff, try to make it sound corporate.

36. Be specific and brief in your message

People do not like reading lengthy messages. You have to consider that some of them have busy lives. So, as much as possible, try to make your comments and posts concise and brief.

37. Always check your grammar and spelling over and over again before posting to avoid any mistakes.

Take note that any typos and grammatical errors can likely smear the image of your company. People might think that your posts are hurriedly done and you don’t care about its quality.

How to use YouTube effectively in your Social Media Strategy

38. Choose the appropriate comment sharing settings of your Youtube account.

You can choose to block other people from posting comments on your profile page and on your videos. This can help in preventing disparaging comments from other users.

39. Decide if you want to use the ‘Like’ and ‘Dislike’ button or not.

You need to consider that dislikes can create a huge impact on your potential customers. If you think that your video will get several dislikes, then you should turn this option off.

40. Learn how to use related tags.

If you have uploaded videos on Youtube and you want people to easily find them, then the best thing to do is use tags which are commonly used by people when they are typing keywords in the search bar. For instance, if you are selling computer products then you could use tags such as laptop, internet, iPad, Intel, etc.

41. Be sure to always check comments.

If you allow other people to make comments, then see to it that you can check them regularly. In this way, you can immediately deal with any damaging and disparaging comments made by other people.

42. The “delete comment” option should be used delicately.

In Youtube, you cannot entirely remove a comment. The username of the person who posted the comment will still appear along with a note “Deleted comment”. When people see this, it can make them wonder why you deleted a comment. Hence, it is advisable that you should use it delicately.

43. Rather than deciding to delete a comment, you could use polite and well-informed responses.

Rather than deleting, you could decide to respond to these derogative messages instead.

44. Avoid being rude, just defend yourself in a very convincing and well-informed manner.

Ensure that your readers will always side with you based on the answers that you provided.

45. By using your logo and customising your page, you can achieve better credibility.

Having a logo can make people believe that your company is credible. Also, it is advisable that you should customise your page to make it look more authentic.

46. Upload only high-quality videos.

It is not necessary that your videos should be in HD, the most important thing is, it has high quality and clear. Just keep it accurate and carefully edited. Make sure that all your videos are in high quality since this can greatly affect the image of your company.

47. Check videos and make sure that it does not contain any offensive elements.

Some people on Youtube can be a bit harsh, so be sure that all the videos that you upload do not include any offensive contents.

48. Take some time in understanding the policies of Youtube.

Getting your account suspended can likely damage the reputation of your company. People might wonder why this thing happened to your company. Hence, it is absolutely necessary that you should take time in reading the policies of Youtube.

49. Update your users on the increase of your subscribers.

Most often, others will give an update on their first 1000, 10,000 and 100,000 subscribers. By making these updates, your subscribers will know that your page is moving forward.

Expanding the reach of your social media account is essential to be successful

50. Advertise your social media account.

The main goal of your social media account is to advertise. Although a social media account is an advertising tool yet it also needs to be advertised. You need to ask people to visit your social media account.

51. Be sure to always mention your social media URL to any forms of advertisement that you use.

If you are advertising on radio, television, and magazines, then you have to ensure that your social media account is always mentioned. You could simply say, “Visit us on Facebook.”

52. Learn how to use SEO techniques.

When creating articles and uploading them to your blog site, you should include some SEO on it. In this way, your social media account can be located easily through search engines.

53. You could also consider contributing SEO articles to other websites such as www.ezinearticles.com.

Contributing your SEO articles to these sites can help in making your social media page easier to find on the internet.

54. When choosing a URL name, use the main keyword that corresponds to the products or services that you are offering.

You have the option to change how your URL looks. For instance, if the name of your company is Solemn Foods, then you can alter your Facebook URL to www.facebook.com/solemnfoods.

55. Associate yourself with other groups which are related to your market niche.

If you become affiliates with other groups that are related to your field, then there are great chances that you can obtain more potential viewers. For instance, if you are selling cosmetics, then you should associate yourself with pages about the latest makeup trends, makeup tips, makeup tutorials, etc.

56. Don’t forget to include follow buttons.

Follow buttons can be placed elsewhere on the internet. This is great since users will be able to like the content that you posted in your Facebook account by logging in to Facebook or opening another window.

57. Include share/link buttons.

You should have affiliate sites that will post a link that will lead users to your blog site. This is one of the major reasons why it is very important to have a lot of affiliates on the internet. This can help you in obtaining more subscribers.

58. Choose an old school method known as email marketing.

Obviously, this is old, nevertheless, it is still effective. If you want to obtain more potential leads, then send an email that includes a link and/or a follow button that will direct them to your blog page.

59. Offer a guest post on established and prominent blogs, most preferably, the big names.

Request other influential groups to let you create a guest post on their page. And on your article, don’t forget to include a link that will direct users to your blog page.

60. Subscription buttons should be accomplished through RSS. So users will be able to see the latest updates on your blog page.

Outsourcing Social Media works and tasks

61. Make sure to hire a staff that knows your ideals and standards.

It’s fine to hire someone who can manage and maintain your blog page. However, make sure that they are aware of your standards. They should know how you want to run things.

62. Hire a person that can check your site throughout the day and night.

This is very important most especially if you are not aware that a user has already posted something derogatory on your page. So, let somebody else check your blog page regularly to filter out such comments.

63. Set limitations on how much they can modify.

The staff who will manage your blog page should have certain limitations. Obviously, there are certain things that they are not allowed to touch or change. You should be clear about this.

64. Assign different tasks to different people if necessary.

For great results, you can assign somebody to do the graphics, videos, articles, and page design for you. Consequently, another person should be assigned to handle the news, promos, events, and such.

65. You can hire someone to do the graphics.

Take note that Photoshop is not easy. If you want to obtain professional results, then it is best to hire a person who can do it for you.

66. You can employ a person to do the videos.

There is a lot of video maker software out there. However, if you do not feel too confident about it, then you should not attempt making it yourself. Unfortunately, this can only result in low-quality output.

67. You can hire writers to do the short articles.

Nowadays,  this can be accomplished easily. All you have to do is hire ghostwriters who can write articles and even eBooks for you.

How to deal with trolling, defamation, and other disparaging comments from users

68. Check for any possible derogatory messages regularly.

It is worthwhile to check your page all the time, or you can let another person do it for you. It is important that you have to deal with negative comments right away before it can affect the opinion of other subscribers.

69. Prevent the domino effect of negative comments.

If somebody makes a negative comment, then it is possible that other people will sympathise. Then suddenly it will become a series of negative comments from more users. It’s better to end this as soon as possible before anything like this will happen. The key is to delete the root cause.

70. Avoid leaving a serious question hanging unanswered for a long period of time.

Some questions which are left unanswered could make users doubt the credibility of your company. For instance, one of your customers told you, “The product that I bought only lasted for a month, can I have it replaced? This type of questions should be answered right away.

80. Maintain a professional tone when responding to any possible derogative comments.

Sometimes, it is necessary for you to answer those derogatory questions so you can set things straight and other people will know the truth. However, while you are doing this, you should avoid being harshly defensive. Try to maintain a professional tone all the time. This can be seen and appreciated by other users.

81. Recognise the messages that should be left unanswered. There is no need for responding to every question.

Use Facebook Correctly

82. Open a group account, instead of a personal account.

There are two kinds of account that you can open on Facebook. If you are aiming for social media marketing, then you should open a group account rather than a personal account. This is because it’s features are mainly designed for marketing products and services.

83. Obtain your first 25 likes.

Once your group account has already obtained 25 likes from different users then you can already obtain access to all its features.

84. Consider acquiring a paid advertisement service from Facebook.

Facebook provides a tool that can make your page appear in the advertisement area of other Facebook users. You also have the option to make this appear on selected market niche by filtering its gender, address, age, etc. However, this is a paid feature.

85. Post things that you feel your subscribers would love to share.

In case one of your subscribers will share a post from your page, then it can be seen on their profile page.  In this way, it will be exposed to every friend of that person. This can expand the reach of your social media account.

86. Like pages or groups which are somewhat related to your market niche.

If you “like” the pages of other groups, then most likely, you will be exposed to the subscribers of those pages.

87. Like pages or groups which are frequently visited by your target customers.

Visit the pages which your target customers might frequently choose. For instance, if your target customers are women, then you can likely find them on fashion pages. Click “like” on those pages and maybe post a comment on those pages so they can find you.

88. Ask help from people you know who have Facebook accounts.

The beginning is the hardest part. Ask the people you know who have Facebook accounts to like your page. You could even ask them to share the contents of your page. Eventually, their friends could also help out.

89. Incorporate a photo album that shows the faces of your company employees.

Based on some studies, people will trust online organisations that can show faces. On the other hand, if they can’t show faces, then the people might think that the organisation is hiding something.

90. Photo albums should be organised based on events and dates.

People would love to browse pictures. However, if different photos are being mixed together, then it can be very annoying. Be sure to organise them in albums.

91.  You can advertise your Facebook account on other social media accounts that you have.

For instance, if you have a Twitter account, then you can invite your followers to check out your Facebook page through a Tweet.

92. Maintain only a single account.

This can avoid any confusion. If the products and/or services that you offered are not widely varied then you should only get one Facebook account.

93. Use different accounts only if your company has varied sections.

For instance, if your company is selling various stuff such as food, clothes, toys, etc., then you should probably consider having a separate account or separate page for every classification.

94. Use your Facebook account in connecting to the people you meet on meetings and business trips.

It is possible that you can make new acquaintances during your meetings and business trips. When this happens, you can use the Facebook account of your company in staying connected with them.

95. Your Facebook posts should be in accordance with your Twitter posts in case you have both.

Your Twitter and Facebook account should not include opposing posts since they can be seen as inconsistency. This can confuse subscribers and make them wonder how your company runs things.

96. Inform your users about the increase in subscribers.

People should know if the number of your subscribers is growing! This can be an indication that your company is moving forward.

Twitter Social Account And Its Use

97. Edit your URL name and change it to the main keyword that best describes your company.

Generally, Twitter will assign a default URL to your profile. However, you are free to change this into something like www.twitter.com/YouCompanyName.

98. Post news and events regularly.

In case your Twitter account is left unattended, then most likely people will not follow you anymore. Regardless if people will not unfollow you, then they might decide to stop checking your posts.

99. Follow companies, organisations, groups, as well as people whom you think, are related to your company in some way.

Typically, you should follow Twitter accounts that are associated with the nature of your business. This can expand your exposure to Twitter users.

100. Never post Tweets on other’s profile.

As much as possible try to maintain a professional manner. Keep in mind that this is a company account and not a personal account.

101. You should never use your company Twitter account for personal business.

If there is a particular celebrity that you like or you want to make comments on certain events that are entirely not related to your business, then you should use your own personal account in following them. Remember that personal and business life should not be mixed together.

102. Do not use your company Twitter account in expressing your personal feelings and thoughts.

Tweets about the new clothes you purchased, the breakfast you had, your bath time, as well as your fight with your friends should not be included in your company Twitter account.

103. Your Twitter account should be advertised on your other Social media accounts.

For instance, if you have a Facebook account, then you can also inform your Facebook subscribers that you have a Twitter account. In this way, both of these accounts will obtain more subscribers.

104. Hashtags are not very efficient.

If you love doing this strategy, then just save it. Based on the latest studies, posts that include hashtags are actually 5% less effective at enticing users.

105. The number of people that you follow should not be more than the number of people following you.

You should avoid following more people than the number of people following you since this can make you look desperate. This could affect your company image. Try to practice some level of self-importance.

106. Using geo-location can help you in finding your local target niche.

This feature is very beneficial for internet marketing since it can help you in locating your target customers better.

107. Concentrate more on your advocates rather than your influencers.

Most likely, your influencers will only mention you once or twice. Afterwards, you have no connection with them anymore. But it is different with advocates. Potentially, they will become your long term partners which can provide you with long term benefits. Hence, it is important that you must invest time on them.

108. Your Tweets should be consistent with your Facebook posts in case you have both.

Make sure that your Tweets about company promos, events, and news are similar to your posts on your Facebook account.

109. Users must be informed whenever there is an increase in the number of your followers.

Stay safe when using Social Media For Your Marketing

110. Be transparent but practice caution as well.

Your subscribers will truly appreciate if you are transparent with them. This can make them feel that they are somehow connected with you. But at the same time, you should also limit the information that you want to keep.

111. Only reveal the office address or the physical address of the company itself.

You are not obligated nor is it safe to let your subscribers know about your personal address or your employees’ personal address. You should only divulge the address of the company itself.

112. Only expose the contact information of your company.

You should only advertise the contact information of your company including its phone number, fax number, email address, etc. Never disclose the contact information of your employees in order to protect their privacy.

113. Stay away from any heated conversation.

Aside from being unprofessional, it will not give a good impression on your subscribers.

114. Maintain a record of potentially threatening comments from users.

In case you have found a post that includes threats or anything similar, then you must keep a record of it. A simple print screen will do.

115. Avoid using passwords that are very easy to guess.

Hackers could harm your account. That is why you have to make sure that the password that you are using is something that cannot be guessed.

116. Never disclose the email address that you used in registering to the social media account.

This might be the only thing that the hacker requires in hacking into your Facebook or Twitter account. That is why you should keep it private.

117. Instead of using the company email, choose something different such as a registration email.

Usually, a hacker will try to use the official company email assuming that it can be used in opening your company’s Facebook or Twitter account.

118. Avoid leaving your account unattended in any computer.

119. Always remember to uncheck the “Keep me logged in” button.

Some people usually forget to uncheck this box. This is one of the reasons why their accounts are hacked by the next person using the computer. You’ll be lucky if it is found by a good person.

120. Prevent logging in to public computers.

Even if you have already unchecked the “Keep me logged in” button, there are still ways that hackers can obtain your username and password. All they have to do is use a simple key-logger program.

121. If you need to use a public network or a public computer in logging in, then you should use the onscreen QWERTY board when entering your username and password.

The key-logger programs that hackers use can track the keystrokes that you make. However, they cannot read the usernames and passwords that are entered using an on-screen qwerty keyboard. The drawback is that people behind you will know what characters you clicked.

122. If you believe that your password has been compromised, then you should change it right away.

123. Eliminate any arguments between users.

Most often, the dispute is not between you and a user but rather among users themselves. You should dismiss these immediately. When necessary, you could block them.

124. Create a rules and conditions page.

Sometimes there are some people who don’t want to follow. However, if you decide to ban them, then they can’t say that you did not warn them.

Tips on involvements you should avoid

125. Try not to “like”, “follow”, or get your company linked in any way to celebrities.

This is an indication of professionalism. Always remember that “business is business” and any involvement with Hollywood can be considered as a personal thing, except if the celebrity that you want to feature is somehow associated with your business.

126. Try not to “like”, “follow”, or somehow get linked in any way to politicians.

People have always contrasting views when it comes to politics. It is possible that you can lose your clients if you tend to favour politicians and political decisions which they do not support.

127. Try not to voice your viewpoints on controversial matters.

Aside from politics, there are also other issues that can divide the views of people. Declaring statements about such matters should be avoided at all times.

128. Try not to use your company’s social media account when posting comments that express your personal feelings and thoughts.

Sometimes, it can’t be avoided that you have some comments about the current events. However, you should avoid expressing them on your company’s social media account.

129. Try not to upload contents that are not associated to your market, except if it is part of your marketing approach.

It’s fine to add some fun stuff for the purpose of entertainment every once in a while. However, you should avoid making it a hobby.

130. Avoid adding media contents that are potentially rude to any group of people.

You should consider that racism is an extremely sensitive topic. That is why you should try not to make any comments or commercial jokes about this since people will not likely take it gently.

131. Jokes should be avoided, except if they are entirely inoffensive.

Tips on maintaining and enhancing the credibility of your social media account

132. In your company’s official webpage, don’t forget to mention your social media account.

This can help in inspiring people to subscribe to your social media account. If you can get these people to subscribe to you, then you can also gain access to their friends.

133. Always place your company logo in your social media account.

134. Post pictures of company events – the ones that the public could not possibly access.

You could choose random photos that most people do not have any access to such as tours, dinners, or even in airports. In this way, people can guarantee that your social media account is authentic and genuine.

135. Your social media announcements must match to the announcements your official webpage.

If you are posting some announcements on your official webpage, then make sure that they should be similar to the details of the announcements that you made on your social media account.

136. Be cautious when making statements about current events. These things should be avoided if possible.

Always remember that people have varied opinions about current events. So, if you favour one side, then it could provoke anger from some people.

137. Constantly provide your subscribers with the impression that the company is moving forward.

People will admire you more if they know that your company is moving forward. You can provide this impression through the posts that you’ve made.

138. Regularly make your subscribers feel that your company’s social media account page is active and kicking.

139. In case you commit mistakes, you should step up and own the mistake.

Even if you are extra careful, it is still possible that mistakes could happen. When this occurs, the best thing that you can do is to admit the mistake and apologise. In this way, people will appreciate you better. When they see a denial, most likely they will hate it.

140. Act like a leader, but don’t be cocky.

People must feel that you are a leader or the driving force. If you can do this without being cocky, then they will surely respect you.

141. Make sure to post media exposure of your company.

In case there are television shows, magazines, or any media channel that features your company, then be sure to mention this on your social media account. If possible, you could also provide a link.

Measuring and enhancing the effectiveness of your social media account

142. Examine the number of customers that came to you through your social media account.

Run surveys and polls so you will know how many of your clients discovered your company through your social media account. This is one way of knowing if your social media investment is productive or not.

143. Blog frequently for better traffic.

By posting blogs regularly, people will keep on tuning in to your page. This can greatly help in increasing your traffic. After all, people will not check a page frequently if it does not make blog posts regularly.

144. Consider your social media as a story that you tell, and your customers are the characters in the story.

145. Do not just speak about your company, but rather about the people that subscribe to you.

If you talk about your customers and subscribers, then they will feel that they are also important since you keep them involved. This can enhance your relationship with them.

146. For localised marketing, you could also try social media sites that are on a smaller scale.

If you can find a local social media site that focuses on your targeted market niche, then you could open an account on them. This can help you in reaching out to more locals in your area.

147. Provide a mobile check-in feature if it fits with your business.

Nowadays, most businesses allow their customers to check-in or order products and/or services online. This feature is something that you should consider since this can help your business to open up to more customers.

Coming up with good content for Social Media Posts doesn’t have to be hard

148. Keep yourself updated about current events.

By staying updated with the current events, you can obtain some ideas about the future of your market. It is best to keep yourself updated so you will not be left behind.

149. Examine the latest news related to your field of business.

Be sure to check for current events and focus more on the news that is related to your market niche. You can even create posts based on these news events provided that you do not side with any group.

150. Read yahoo news on a regular basis.

One of the best places to read the latest and the juiciest news is the homepage of yahoo. Most often, they also feature business news.

151. Always read magazines that are associated with your field.

By reading magazines, you can acquire a lot of ideas. For instance, if you are in the fashion business, then you should read several fashion magazines.

152. If possible, you could hire researchers.

Researching cannot be done easily, most especially if it focuses on marketing and business. If you believe that you do not have enough time for it, then you can hire someone to do it for you.

153. Think out of the box and create something unique.

Once in a while, you should try to go out of your comfort zone. When making your posts and announcements, think of ways on how to make it more exciting so that your subscribers will not get bored.

154. If you want to recycle your content, then it should be redone from the bottom up.

There are times that you simply run out of fresh new content. Although recycling is not encouraged, yet sometimes this is the only thing that can save you. However, if you really want to do this, then be sure to make it look new and different.

155. Inquire from your clients and subscribers what they want to see next.

In case you don’t have any idea what your subscribers might want to see next, then you can simply ask them directly. The fact is, your customers will appreciate you more if you will ask them questions such as “What do you like to see next?” or “What do you want us to create for you next?”

156. Inquire from your affiliates what they want you to do next.

Aside from asking your customers and subscribers, don’t forget to also ask your influencers, advocates, and affiliates.

157. Examine your prior contents and verify what could be missing.

You should not assume that you have already accomplished everything. The best thing that you can do is to check your profile again. You will never know there might something that you have missed.

Tips on writing your comments and posts dramatically

158. Create a good title.

There are times that subscribers will easily get discouraged once they see a lengthy post. So, what is the best thing to do?  Stimulate their interest by beginning your post with a catchy and interesting title.

159. Using a catchy headline is a must.

If you think that your title is inappropriate, then you have to make sure that you begin your post with a catchy and interesting first sentence.

160. The inverted triangle method of writing should be used.

This is a method of article writing wherein you are required to include all the important information at the start of the article. As a result, the collection of information is higher at the start and gets fewer as the article ends.

Unique methods to deliver your Social Media message to your followers

161. Use PowerPoint presentations.

Are you getting bored with old-school paragraph posts? If so, then it’s time to make a powerful presentation instead. To make it look more amazing, you could even incorporate some exciting designs and animations.

162. Use pictures.

You can express what you want to say by creating a graphic art of it.

163. Use video clips.

This is just the same as creating a PowerPoint presentation.

164. Use voice clips.

Every now and then, you could try doing something new and send your message through a recorded voice. You have to consider that a voice can be more encouraging compared to written words, making it a more effective marketing strategy.

165. Combine all of the above.

All the methods that we mentioned above can be used simultaneously. By using all of these tricks, you can obtain the most effective and unique way of communicating with your subscribers.

166. Use lists and bullet points.

Most people find it tiring to read long paragraphs. Creating a list can make it easier for your subscribers to read.

167. Using uppercase letters can emphasize important words.

This is another way of encouraging your subscribers to read your long boring paragraphs. Some important words that you can highlight include SALE, BONUS, PROMO, etc. When your readers see these keywords, it can surely catch their attention.

168. When necessary, use double quotations.

Aside from using uppercase letters, double quotations can also be used in highlighting important words.

169. Use underlines when required.

Underlines are also another effective method of highlighting elements.

170. Use highlighting on your social media blog when allowed.

Compared to using caps lock, double quotation, or underline, you can make your word stand out more by adding a coloured highlight. Unfortunately, not all social media sites allowed this feature.

171. Learn the proper way of using the opening word “ATTENTION!”

Oftentimes, you can just begin a paragraph with “ATTENTION!”. However, this word should be used sparingly. You must ensure that the message is actually worth the opening.

172. Adding humour occasionally is fine.

It is important to observe professionalism at all times, however, adding some humour can definitely make your readers smile. If they feel happy, then most likely they will buy.

173.  Subscribe to newsletters of your rivals.

174. Subscribe to newsletters of your affiliates.

175. Subscribe to newsletters of your similar groups.

You should always be looking on enhancing customer relationships

176. Create posts about the success stories of your customers

By featuring your customers who liked your products or services, you are also inviting others to avail of your products or services. It is also recommended that you write how-to guides for your subscribers.

In internet marketing, it has been proven that most internet users would love to read how-to-guides. Once in a while, you could provide your readers with some of these guides so they will keep on coming back to your page.

177. Create guides that talk about things to avoid.

This is the best way of showing your subscribers and customers that you actually care about their well-being. This will be excellent for your business. Just ensure that the guide that you created is somewhat related to your market niche.

178. Post interviews with a successful customer.

Do not just write stories about your successful client or customer. Rather, it is more realistic to post a video of the interview. Compared to plain text, videos tend to be more convincing.

179. Try not to recycle previous messages.

There are times that you don’t have any other choice but to recycle your content. But if possible, you should try to avoid this. A few users are still going to notice that your content is recycled even after doing a lot of edits and modifications.

180. Try not to recycle multimedia elements.

Aside from words and articles, you may also decide to recycle your multimedia content. However, you should only be doing this if you don’t have any other choice. Also, when you edit it, make sure that it cannot be recognised as a recycled item.

181. Send out relevant newsletters to subscribers.

Sometimes, your subscribers will simply stop checking out your page, however, this is not actually your fault. Perhaps, they just got too busy for a certain period of time and forgot. Whatever the reason is, you can help in reminding them through newsletters.

182. Use courteous greetings all the time, every day if possible.

If there are days that you can’t find anything to say, then perhaps you can simply say “Good morning”, “Happy lunchtime”, or “Good evening.” Greetings can also be used as an opening to any announcement. Your subscribers will surely appreciate your courteous attitude.

183. It is important to make your subscribers feel that they are up-to-date all the time.

This is one of the reasons why you should make news and announcements frequently. Your subscribers will likely appreciate this since it can make them feel that they are always up-to-date.

184. Discuss the latest trends which your subscribers would love to hear about.

Competition should not be considered as a war since they can be a useful source of information

185. Examine the social media site of your competitor.

What if your competitor has some cool ideas when it comes to presenting views. By looking at the page of your competitor, you can obtain more ideas which you can apply together with your own unique ideas.

186. Examine the official homepage of your competitor.

It is also worthy to take a look at your competitor’s official webpage and review how they advertised their social media account.

187. Subscribe to your competitor’s newsletter.

For this part, you can probably use your own personal account. By subscribing to your competitors’ newsletters, you will be able to see what they are up to. This can provide you with new ideas for your marketing strategies.

188. Try not to mention any negative statements about your competitor.

Most people do this so as to demerit their competitors. However, this is a dirty trick which a lot of your subscribers probably recognise and hate. Remember that this might damage your image.

189. If your competitor is posting something against you, then you should avoid getting tempted in answering back.

The best defence that you can do is to clarify false accusations. However, you should avoid insulting your competitor back. When you do, then you will be treated as the good guy and your competitor will be considered as the bad guy. People will probably prefer that you would just let it slide.

190. Avoid using things that have taunting similarities to your competitor.

You might want to check out your competitors to gain some ideas, however, you should avoid copying their ideas. Avoid posting anything that is similar or using any ideas that are totally the same. The least that you can do is to make some changes to it so you can make it your own.

191. Be sure to be a step ahead all the time.

You should not just copy ideas from your competitors. Rather, you should be the one to take the lead. You should be the trendsetter.

192. Verify the number of hits from your competitor.

This will make you aware of how well your competitor is doing so you can compare this to your performance. This can help you in recognising if you need to improve your performance.

Financing your social media account

193. Some social media only requires to be checked once a day.

Maybe your social media account needs to be checked once daily. If this is the case, then you don’t have to pay any extra so your account will be checked a lot of times each day.

194. Verify if your database has currently existing multimedia content.

Perhaps you don’t have to order a new logo or graphics. Verify the ones that you have already used in your prior videos and slideshows. Maybe there are still some that you can use.

195. Provide the multimedia artists that you hire with currently existing graphics.

You could save a significant amount of money if you supply the artists that you hire with currently existing graphics and logo.

196. Apply safe payment methods.

Your bank account number or credit card number should not be exposed. Also, your physical address should not be revealed when sending money through a courier. Rather, you could choose to use safe payment methods such as Paypal which can keep your personal and account information well protected.

197. Verify if you have an employee who can do the task.

Perhaps, it is not really required that you should hire another person to do the job. All you have to do is ask your employees. Maybe you can find someone who knows how to write articles or create multimedia content for your social media page.

198. Verify if investing in your social media site is getting returns.

Remember that maintaining a social media site will involve money and time. If it is not generating results, then perhaps this marketing strategy is not effective for your line of business.

Make your social media account likeable and user friendly

199. Inform your designer that you want a page design that works well on smartphones.

Nowadays, most people check and update their social media accounts through their smartphones. Hence, it can greatly help if your blog page is optimised so it can be viewed clearly on smartphones.

200. Try not to use scripts and content that could only run on the latest software.

A few multimedia content needs the latest plugins. As a result, these multimedia contents cannot be viewed by all people. Hence, try to avoid using the most recent ones.

201. Avoid creating a page that will upload very slowly.

Obviously, you want to have a good looking page design. However, the page designer that you hire must try not to use elements that might take time to load. You have to consider that most people have a good internet connection and maybe a few of them will not wait for a page that loads extremely slowly.

202. Keep everything looking neat.

It is not required that it should be the most stylish. The most important thing is your page should look neat and nothing is out of place. All the information must be well organised. All the contents and elements are categorised and arranged properly. It should be done in such as a way that your viewers can easily find things.

201. When necessary, use tabs or divisions for different topics.

In this way, you can separate different topics or discussions. This can also help in keeping your contents organised without opening several social media accounts.

202. Avoid using high-falutin words.

As much as possible, try to keep it simple. Studies show that most internet users dislike high-falutin words and most likely they favour simple content.

203. Be sure that your page is easy to find.

There are a lot of ways to accomplish this. A good example would be having a lot of backlinks and using a lot of SEO. These can likely make your page easier to find on the internet. If you are not an expert on this, then you can hire an internet marketing expert to do this for you.

Conclusion

This concludes our list of 200 tips for efficient social media marketing. Obviously, you should not simply stick to these rules. You should make yourself susceptible to any variations that you see and act respectively.

Be vigilant on the risks of social media sites. Keep in mind that a lot of lives have been destroyed due to Facebook and Twitter. However, we should not put the blame on these sites. Remember that these things happen due to inappropriate use of these social media sites.

Hence, if you want to use Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites to your advantage, then you must learn its techniques. You can begin by learning about its pitfalls and determine how to avoid them.