Make your Startup #succeedonsocialmedia

In the age of viral videos and unprecedented consumer engagement on all forms of social media, we cannot underestimate the importance of social media marketing for brand new companies. A strong presence not only increases brand awareness and connects directly with your audience; it also ultimately results in more sales and money for your company and your investors. Tools like instagram, twitter, and facebook can make or break your success as a startup in an increasingly fast-paced, clickbait world. Our team at Vivaio Ventures has narrowed down some helpful tips for your company — and who knows, maybe one day you’ll be pitching to us!

First up, brand identity. I like to think of this as the personality of the company as a whole. Sure, every person has a unique personality and brings something special to the team, but having a group brand is what will ultimately attract the audience you want. If you want to appeal to millenials, you shouldn’t be marketing yourself in a way that attracts only people aged 40+. If your target audience is seniors, you shouldn’t be posting overstimulating content that could overwhelm a less social-media-savvy population.

Equally important is making sure you “listen” more than you “talk” online. Listen to consumers’ complaints, answer their questions, and overall just prioritize interaction. As a smaller company, part of what can set you apart is genuine concern for each individual customer (unlike big companies focused exclusively on profit).

Additionally, you need (!!!) to use analytics to see the makeup of your consumers. Instagram, for example, gives you the option to see the gender and ages of your audience if you connect your facebook business page, and other platforms have similar options for businesses wishing to understand their engagement and online audience.

The fourth essential for a successful, genuine social media presence is to identify your top creators. You have to choose the person managing the social accounts very carefully: what posts receive the most engagement? Does engagement correlate with a specific person’s posting choices? Identify which member of your team appeals most to your audience and shine the spotlight on them.

Finally, the tried and true ingredient for success is careful planning for each post and every social media app. Have a posting routine, plan ahead, and post regularly. Use third party tools to post automatically for you if needed, especially when your company has many different social media networks that can be hard to keep track of.

So there you have it! Make sure to implement these five strategies and watch the likes flow in. Happy posting!