Top 10 keys to success for any social-media platform

We’ve been participating in Social Madness! American City Business Journals have challenged companies in towns across America to compete for charity. The test? See who can grow their social-media presence the most.

We’re in it to win it for The Double H Ranch, so if you like what we’ve got to say, like us on Facebook, follow us at @paliosaratoga and connect with us on LinkedIn - and definitely vote for us as a medium company in Albany at SocialMadness.com!

All this focus on our social-media properties has gotten us thinking: are there best practices for making your presence on social-media platforms the best it can be?

We’ve seen a lot of (usually expensive) conferences, webinars, books and “experts” try to tell you that each one is totally different and that you’ll need their very specific (and usually expensive) guidance for each one.

Obviously each platform is unique, but if you do a few things great on any platform, you’re well on your way to success. We’re happy to present (for free!) our top 10 keys to success for any social-media platform. Here are the first five – stay tuned for the second five!

10. Put in the time. Scheduling everything days and weeks in advance is great, and very handy, but you have to show up in person too. Tweetchats and other live events make it clear that there are real people behind your brand, thinking and talking in real time.

9. Stay focused. Who is your audience and what do they care about? The answer today might be different than the answer yesterday. Make sure you know what it is.

8. Be bigger than your brand. If everything you post is about your stuff, you’re doing it wrong. Know what’s going on in the world. Talk about that, too. You don’t have to become CNN, but you can’t live in a vacuum either.

7. Take it offline. Make things happen in the real world based on what is said in social media. Base your store events on ‘friend’ suggestions – or, better yet, create a product or service based on them, and advertise it as such.

6. Document. Your social media folks, as awesome as they are, won’t be there forever. You’ll need to have references and processes. Write SOPs so everybody can look up how to post (and how to delete), how to monitor, how to measure.

Check back for the final five in our top 10 – and for some links to people and companies who are the ones to watch on each social-media platform!