I was recently browsing around checking out websites of digital/media/advertising/marketing agencies in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne and being an SEO, I had to analyse their websites in every detail.
Not surprisingly, many were going for the ‘wow’ factor and not the SEO factor but what bothered me even more was the social media presence of these companies.
It was as if some companies couldn’t be bothered either being involved or they just didn’t feel like showing everyone they were embracing social.
It’s a bit odd if you’re on Twitter or Facebook or YouTube or Google+ but you don’t have any links/icons linking to those profiles from your footer/homepage. It’s bad enough if it’s only on the Contact page but when it’s not there altogether, that’s just plain bad.
It’s a bit like being an SEO company but not ranking anywhere decent for any relevant/worthwhile keyword. Or being a dentist with horrible teeth.
This isn’t just an issue with agencies but I cite them because if anyone should be doing this right, it should be them.
But the lesson is for all and sundry:
1. Embrace social media – it’s no longer an option.
2. Don’t be afraid to share it with the world. Place icons and links from your footer (small but noticeable icons are fine if design is an issue) and be sure to include links within your email signatures (such an underused promotional tool).
3. Take the time to be active on these social networks. If you’re not sure how to make it work for you, there’s no harm or shame in seeing what the competition is up to (if they’re doing it right). If they’re running FB only competitions that are well received, you need to do that too.
Social is about being public – when you’re a business and a brand, you can’t escape this. It’s a different ball game on a personal level but that’s for you to worry about and be quite selective with whom and what you share.
As a business with an online presence, you need to be out there in the face of your customer. Just think about a company like Coca Cola. Coke is the most popular cola in the world but the company doesn’t rest on its laurels. It gets out there and in your face everywhere it can. It’s currently using social in a big way (just look at their FB page) and their ‘share a coke with <name>’ campaign is a big social success.
Learn from the big guns.
