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5 Ways You Can Benefit from a Social Media Audit
Whether you’re doing Social Media marketing in-house or outsourcing, it’s hard to know where the gaps are between your company’s current situation and where you need to be in order to succeed.
Given the tremendous amount time, skill and budget it takes to master Social Media marketing, Social Media audits have increased in popularity. A Social Media audit is a smart step because a lot of time and resources can be wasted improving things that don’t need it and neglecting things that really need your attention.
If you’re new to Social Media and/or online reputation management, the need for a Social Media audit is even greater. A lot of businesses buy into what vendors tell them is optimal for their business but in many cases, business owners are relying on the knowledge, skill and integrity of the salesperson who may have another agenda. As a business owner (and former dealership executive manager) I always prefer to get objective advice so that I know I’m spending in the areas that are going to give me the best results.
A Social Media audit provides an analysis of your company’s existing Social Media efforts. This includes your strategy for using Social Media, who your customers are, and how well you’re doing at reaching them effectively. If a Social Media audit sounds like something that would benefit your business (even if you aren’t using Social Media yet), here are 5 benefits that result from an in-depth Social Media audit:
1. Reach consumers at every stage of their buying consideration process.
Awhile back I wrote about a revolutionary way to leverage your content to reach customers using “See-Think-Do” marketing strategies. There are 3 consideration stages in the buying process and each stage requires different information needs:
- “See” stage: Everyone who buys your product and/or service. Your content should establish trust and help your business remain top-of-mind.
- “Think” stage: Everyone who buys your product and/or service and is thinking they might need to. Your content should solve something, not sell something. Answer prospects’ questions and establish your company and your salespeople as “Likable Experts.”
- “Do” stage: Everyone who buys your product and/or service, is thinking they might need to and is ready to take action now. Your content should convert fans into customers.
Deliver the right content to the right customer at the right time. When you look at your overall audience, there’s a very small percentage who are ready to buy this instant. Providing content to those “DO” customers is something traditional media has done pretty well for a long time. But what about the “SEE” and “THINK” customers? How do you attract their attention and keep it? A Social Media audit will identify what content is getting the best results and how to use that information in your content strategy moving forward.
2. Clearly recognize what Social Media success looks like.
Reach your goals by first establishing what they are. Don’t depend on a vendor to TELL you what success looks like. Social Media ROI can be measured if you’re setting goals and tying your results back to those goals. Your Social Media audit should provide a detailed analysis of how to measure your results, including which metrics you should be tracking, and an explanation of why you should be tracking them.
3. Create a powerful internal process to create, collect and publish useful content, including online reviews.
Acquiring the right kind of leverage in online relationships isn’t easy. A Social Media audit will pinpoint ways your business can provide value through all the channels of Social Media. It will identify which channel is best for your business to capitalize on and how to leverage your employees to improve your online presence and reputation.
4. Uncover opportunities to generate leads and sales.
Learn how you stack up against your competitors. The auditor should visit all your competitors’ profiles to note the overall strategy behind their social content. Your Social Media audit will detail what your competitors are doing right and where they’re failing. This information will reveal your biggest areas of opportunity.
5. Establish consistent “Best Practices.”
There’s so much misconception around Social Media marketing and it’s hard to know if you’re doing things right. Your Social Media audit will review your current practices and give you a comprehensive list of time-tested, proven best practices with which to move forward. Being on Social Media is only half the battle. Knowing what to say, where and when to say it and how to resolve conflicts takes savvy tactics that only an expert audit can provide.
Social Media “Best Practices” are always changing. Investing in a Social Media audit will save you time and money…and you’ll sleep better knowing you’ve laid the foundation for the best possible results.
If you’d like to learn more about Social Media audits, click here.
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