“social” includes “likable” and “interactive.” bonus: advice on images.
by becky livingston
the accountant’s social media handbook
after you’ve
- defined the social media platform you plan to use,
- determined the goals for the business and how social media plays its part in those goals, and
- begun thinking about your brand and how you can begin to define its personal value proposition or the value-add it provides to your target audience,
more on social media: what is social media? | how social media works with accountants’ top 5 marketing goals
it’s time to begin developing the firm page for your profile. you’ll begin defining your brand’s company page description, plus images you can use to supplement your social media presence.
golden rules
according to marketo’s “the definitive guide to social marketing,” social media brand managers should consider the following “golden rules” for brand development. keep in mind, knowing your brand’s personality influences the social media profile. be authentic!
- don’t take yourself too seriously. it should be obvious, but social marketing is about being social, and that means make your brand likable.
- inbound is not enough. combine inbound efforts with outbound marketing. never underestimate what a bit of paid promotion can do for your business.
- you must have good content and solid offers. without well-produced, engaging content, any and all tactics you employ will most likely fail.
- you will need a strong call to action. the tried-and-true, strong call to action is just as important in social media as it is anywhere else. be clear about what you want your audience to do after consuming your content or engaging with your brand.
- always add value. at the end of the day, if you are not providing some sort of value to your prospects and customers, you are not doing your job, and social media will never work for you.
- never forget that social is a two-way street. no one likes being talked at. yes, broadcast your message, but remember to keep the lines of communication open in both directions. when contacted, always respond quickly and sincerely. be sure to mix up your messaging and use a combination of content and offers.
- peer-to-peer sharing is the best way to get your message heard.
company profile pages
each platform’s company page has similar content, such as:
- brand name
- brand profile image
- cover image
- description
- link to website
- administrator or manager(s)
- email address for the admin/manager
- personal page in the same platform
company page tips
be sure to complete the social profile of choice to its fullest. i cannot tell you how many company linkedin pages i see that are incomplete, or there are no posts associated with the company page. if you are going to engage with social media, be engaged. participate. listen. provide good content that visitors are willing to share. here are some additional tips:
- complete as much information as possible about the firm in the profile.
- use a profile image that represents the firm; most use a logo.
- keep it current.
- use keywords for your industry and target market.
activity
complete your brand’s general description. once complete, transfer it to your project platform using the best practices described in the social media platform of choice.
- brand name:
________________________________________
- brand profile image, cover image and tag line:
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
3. description:
_________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
- website url:
________________________________________
- administrator or manager(s):
________________________________________
- email address for the admin/manager:
________________________________________
- personal page in the same platform: yes / no
- keywords:
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
image development
this can be the hardest part of the process for those who are not familiar with graphic design and working with images. here are some tools that can help you to make nice graphics for social media use, including:
- picmonkey.com
- free stock photos (hfreerangestock.com/)
- haikudeck.com
- flickr.com (use the creative commons license)
- vecteezy.com
- iconmoon.io
- canva.com
be aware: do not search for images on the internet, right-click and save the images and use them on your site, in social media, etc. those are not copyright-free images you can simply use. if caught using those images, your site could get blacklisted (removed from search engines) and/or you could receive a hefty fine.
