6 smart social media strategies

Last week the pitfalls of social media and this week the opportunities: how can social media add value to any possible organisation?

Opportunity 1: reach a large audience
Social media is easily accessible and an ideal way to quickly reach many people. The most effective way is cross-linking media like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest with the corporate website and other regular communication channels. Each tool has its own options and audience; together they form a powerful whole.

Opportunity 2: respond to current trends
News spreads quickly through social media. Twitter in particular is a rich source of information that spreads with great speed. Not only use Twitter to quickly detect trends, but also to anticipate to them in a timely manner.

Illustration: Ivo van Leeuwen.

Opportunity 3: build your relationships
For every organization to have a good relationship with the various stakeholder groups is crucial. This requires more than just transmitting information: you must also listen. Take advantage of all the opportunities that social media offer to interact with your audiences.

Opportunity 4: enlarge your persuasion powers
People are sensitive to what other people do. When many ‘like’ a product or service, its attraction increases. With the proper use of social media this will lead to 'social proof' and therefore enlarge your persuasion powers.

Opportunity 5: collect data
Social media are an inexhaustible source of information. Users continuously leave information behind. This information can easily be collected and analyzed. So take a look at these 'big data', because this brings many opportunities.

Opportunity 6: improve your image with corporate personalities 
A company is more than just its Chief Executive Officer. Employees also exert influence on their environment. Through tactically deploying social media you can use corporate personalities to improve your image. This means communicating from different levels and angles what will benefit the organisation’s overall appearance.

For those who think that social media is nothing more than hype: forget it. Certain forms of social media will undoubtedly lose influence (e.g. ‘Hyves’ in the Netherlands), but only to make room for others. Increasingly social media will penetrate deeper into our lives, both private and business. Companies that understand and embrace this, will crease their competitiveness, whether you like this or not...