With more and more professionals talking about it, it’s now becoming clear that social media should be an integrated part of companies’ marketing and customer service initiatives. If you’re not convinced about this or need some pieces of advice on how to perfect your social media strategies, here’s what some of the experts are saying…

#1: Jay Baer, Founder of Convince & Convert, a Digital Marketing Advisory Company.

“My advice is to identify what specific behaviour(s) you want your content consumers to take post consumption, and build content that creates predilection toward those actions.”

#2: Amy Jo Martin, Founder & CEO of Digital Royalty, a Provider of Digital Social Communication Strategies.

“We all have personal brands and most of us have already left a digital footprint, whether we like it or not. Proper social media use highlights your strengths that may not shine through in an interview or application and gives the world a broader view of who you are. Use it wisely.”

#3: Jessica Northey, Founder & CEO of Finger Candy Media, a Social Media Marketing Company.

“YES, I know it is difficult to read, let alone comment on EVERY post you see, but commit to responding to a couple a day, especially if you want people to respond to you. QUID PROD QUO if you can get out of yourself and into others you might find some incredible thoughts, hopes and dreams out there.”

#4: Paul Roetzer, Founder & CEO of PR 20/20, an Inbound Marketing Agency.

“I’ve always believed that [writing is the most important skill]. I think a good testament is that…the makers of Basecamp software had a book called Rework, and in that [book] (these are developers), they say that writing is the most important skill set…. Their thinking is that if you can convince somebody, if you can articulate a message, whether it’s an email, a proposal, a project update, a social update, whatever it may be, however you’re writing, we’re constantly trying to connect with people, engage them, tell a story, and convince them in some way to take an action.”

#5: Bill Faeth, Co-Founder of IMA, a Full Service Marketing Agency

“Asking follow-up questions in your response to social media comments is a win-win situation. Your clients love sharing personal anecdotes, and you can learn a little more about the people who contribute to your bottom line. Even if someone is just sharing a little note of appreciation, feel free to turn your acknowledgment into an invitation for a dialogue. Keeping conversations wide open for feedback is a huge component of how to respond to social media comments. Invite your clients to share additional feedback and thoughts about your products or services.”

#6: Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, Global Communications and Advertising Agency Network

“If you want to learn about how a lion hunts, you better go to the jungle, not to the zoo. Marketers should forget about focus groups because as soon as you start asking people questions, their real feelings are hidden. Instead, observe your consumers carefully and then figure out how they were feeling when they were doing certain stuff. Research is art, not science,”

#7: Brian Halligan, Co-Founder & CEO of HubSpot

“Create dedicated Twitter lists or streams for your prospects, your existing customers, and thought leaders in your industry. Listen to what those people are saying on Twitter about your market and your business; check in at least three times per week, for at least three weeks. If you don’t see value in those conversations, skip Twitter altogether — but my strong suspicion is that you will see and hear relevant conversations that make you want to tweet regularly.”

If you are a CEO and you don’t want to be called a dinosaur when it comes to social engagement, here are some other social media tips that you can use:

1. Listen & watch closely. Monitoring online conversations is a key step which enables you to gather data on stakeholders and gauge what is being said about your company.
2. Find the platforms that suit your business. Don’t spread yourself too thin trying to monitor and engage on all platforms. Stick to those where the majority of your audience spends their time. Consider starting with a basic profile on LinkedIn.
3. Engage the rest of the company in your social media efforts by developing a media company mindset. If you don’t have time to write articles, consider using YouTube as a media platform.CEOs should be featured regularly, even if it is footage from an event or a snippet from a company meeting.
4. Learn to develop a thick skin when it comes to online criticism and use the latter to improve your products and service in accordance with what your customers need and expect. Use social media to listen and learn.
5. Do it yourself as often as possible. Outsourcing social media management might save time but will impact authenticity in the long run. You can get assistance but it is always best to be the editor-in-chief.

Do you know of any other social media tips or pieces of advice that could come in handy? Share them with us in the comments!