Acronyms have been widely used as an easy mnemonic device. They’re usually way easier to remember than what they represent and are extremely effective when it comes to recalling information, as long you can remember what they stand for, that is. There are a ton of marketing acronyms out there, but these are purely for social media. When it comes to the following recommendations and best practices for social media, they’re short and a lot of fun, so you’ll have no problems remembering them or what they represent.
1. KISS - Keep It Short & Simple
This one is also sometimes referred to as Keep It Short & Sweet. Either one of these representations work because when you’re a business interacting on social media, clear, concise messaging is key. Forgetting for a moment that social media networks all have their character counts, you want to keep things straightforward and short; social media users usually aren’t hanging around to read novel-length statuses and you definitely don’t want them getting lost in corporate jargon! Social media is for building relationships and interacting with your customers on a personal, real-life level – don’t make it complicated.
2. BOSO [bo-zo] – Beware Of Shiny Objects
It’s easy to fall into “shiny object syndrome” and get distracted. The distraction doesn’t even have to be shiny in order to potentially throw you into “shiny object syndrome” – it could be something cute, like a cat or dog video, or funny, like a meme that’s going viral, or just something new that both attracts and distracts us. A similar thing can happen when businesses decide to move into the social realm. Whether it’s just bad advice or a blanket tactic to see if it works, some businesses will get on every single social network they find.
Even businesses who have been on social media for a while can fall into this trap, getting distracted by new and upcoming platforms and jumping on them without checking to see if they’re viable or compatible for their business. The last thing you want to do as a business engaging in social media is jump on a business un-friendly platform and start to blast your messages without listening and contributing to the community there first – the backlash will be swift and your reputation can end up taking a hit too.
3. DOOM – Decide On Objectives & Metrics
You have probably heard the phrase, “You’re doomed if you do and doomed if you don’t,” or one of its many variations. When it comes to objectives & metrics, you’re only really doomed if you don’t. Before throwing your business on the social media bandwagon, think about your objectives and metrics – what are your goals for using social media and how are you planning to measure the success (or lack thereof) of them?
You may have several different goals for getting involved in social media, and they may even vary according to the network you’re using. Maybe you’re planning to use Twitter mainly as an extension of excellent, real-time customer service and Facebook mainly as a way to strengthen relationships and drive traffic back to your site. Depending on your goals, the metrics you care about, your KPIs (key performance indicators), may vary and change. No matter what, spending the time to clearly lay out your objectives and identify the appropriate metrics in the beginning will pay off in the long run.
These 3 concepts are definitely not the end-all, be-all for your social strategy, but they’re a really good place to start. So, don’t be afraid to KISS, avoid becoming a BOSO, and make sure you aren’t DOOM-ing yourself when it comes to social media for your business. Enjoy and we’ll see you in the social sphere!