Every landscaping company has a goal. In fact, every company most likely has several goals.
Charts, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, meetings, agendas and conferences all enable a company to achieve goals.
But let’s think outside of the box for a minute. What about setting some intangible goals, like social media?
Have you ever thought about having a chart, meeting, conference call about how many “likes” your company has received on Facebook?
Or, how about how many Twitter followers you have gained in the past month?
It’s a futile effort for companies to keep denying that social media is a beneficial tool in the office.
Measuring your social media growth these days is as important as measuring how much gas you have left in the mower.
First things first when it comes to measuring social media – make sure you and your company understand what your brand is trying to achieve across all social media platforms. More likes? Pushing examples of work? Becoming more personal? Finding more clients?
It’s good to identify how your company wants to use social media, and stick to the plan. Not having a solid idea of what you’re doing with social media can lead to confusion for your followers – potentially turning them to your competitor.
Next, after you have identified what you are using social media for, create a realistic goal. Too many times a company owner wants to reach 1,000 new Facebook “likes” at the end of the week right after the social media campaign is launched. Not going to happen. Gaining followers is a slow and steady race, and you have to be aware that social media platforms grow differently.
Break it down by the week and month setting a realistic goal across all platforms that you’re using. Monitor what content is being put on the social media platforms, and measure what type of content is getting the most audience.
As far as content, throwing up a post every other month is not going to get the job done. Would you mow a piece of property once a month through the warmer season? It’s all about engaging your audience, and you will get lost in the muddle if you don’t take the time to fully engage social media.
Lastly, make sure you select someone internally who has a good knowledge of working social media and who is willing to research other avenues of social media growth. Putting the ego aside for just a minute could make or break the online presence of your company.
Taking a little time to create an online presence is crucial in a time where the internet is the key source for any consumer. It’s more than making a new website and throwing up a few pictures. It’s going to take a little effort, time and research on a company’s part to use and maintain social media properly.
