Key reasons for social media engagement

Do I really have to be engaged on social media? While social media engagement can seem like a time-consuming activity, it has its place in digital marketing strategies.

We are in an age of instant communication, building relationships and trust, and all things digital.

Social media play a critical role in the propagation of your most trusted assets — valuable content to "Your Connections." There are reasons why consumers choose to follow you or your brand on social channels.

In order to take advantage of social networks and maximize your effort, it helps to understand three key reasons why you should be engaged on social networks.

•Your brand stands for something of interest to consumers. People relate to a brand (personal or company) and what it stands for. We gravitate toward things we are interested in or would like to learn about. It is a natural tendency for us as consumers to 'like' a brand. If you have a brand that is a tangible product or service and of interest to consumers, you may have followers who 'like' your brand and want to hear more.

On the other hand, intangible brands such as consulting services, trade associations or mentoring services, may need ingenuity and creativity to get consumers interested and to stay engaged. It is important to keep the tone, content quality and distribution frequency consistent to maintain engagement level and keep new followers coming to you or your brand — e.g. Starbucks, DSW, alumni associations and the Green Bay Packers.

•You are a thought leader or an influencer. We find individuals or thought leaders are willing to share what they have learned and keep exploring further into specific/niche areas of interest because they are passionate about the subject matter. These thought leaders are not selling a product or service but are effectively communicating what they have learned through their explorations. From their tone, content quality and frequency of distribution of their content, their passion comes through and followers gravitate to them because they respect their opinion or trust what they are sharing. These include TedTalk speakers, religious leaders, political leaders and industry experts.

•You are an avid sharer of content. Some don't have a product or service, are not thought leaders or influencers, but enjoy sharing content that is of interest to them and want others to enjoy them, too. While they don't fall into any predefined social media network mold, their connections appreciate what they share and want them to continue — little quips, viral videos, inspirational quotes, quirky images, discount offers and lifestyle tips. These individuals may have a following because they share what is of value and interest to them and feel others would appreciate the same.

While these reasons may not be why someone would choose to buy your products or services, it keeps them engaged and brings them closer to a purchase decision when the time is right. It may be helpful for you to identify the brands you have been following on your social networks and ask the question — why?

Understanding your social connections will give you a better perspective for developing your brand through your social networks and the types of valuable content you could share such as thoughts, content and opinions. Get dialogue going on your social networks and track the interactions that increase your social engagement to see your social reach. This exercise should have you rethinking your social media presence and working in a different light.

To learn more, attend SCORE's March 4 seminar "Getting Social-Social Media Essentials for Business" at Moraine Park in Fond du Lac. Registration is required at www.foxcities.score.org/localworkshops or call 920-743-7101.