3PL Perspectives
David Abell | AMT Squirrelworks
Social media marketing is an essential component of any digital marketing strategy. It might be hard to believe, but the logistics industry is no different. The best digital profiles are excellent indicators of 3PLs doing a healthy business. However, it’s not all fun and games. Social media marketing requires more than liking, sharing, and posting content you find fascinating and important.
In fact, to fully realize the potential of social media marketing, you must ensure consistent and intelligent utilization of the vast and expanding resources at your disposal. Before you post something to LinkedIn or Twitter, take a look at your content and consider whether you’re making one or more of the costly mistakes discussed below.
Mistakes, really? Yes, it’s true. In the world of 3PLs, we aren’t accustomed to taking social media quite so seriously. After all, we deal in thousands of miles, the avoidance of claims, and market volatility not to mention natural disasters and all sorts of bad weather. But the fact of the matter is, how we use social media makes a difference. We want engaged customers, and it’s way too easy to lose them.
So let’s take a look at some common mistakes and how to avoid them.
No Social Media Strategy
Yes, you really do need to strategize. Without a proper social media strategy in mind, you won’t reach your audience even with an effective message. When planning your strategy, define your distinct brand message, set goals, and plan a social media calendar. It’s equally important to know exactly who your intended audience is. Without this piece of information, you are likely to post randomly – and blindly. Remember, your goal is to be your customers’ go-to industry source for pertinent and engaging content.
Too Many Social Media Accounts
It’s easy to get caught up in what your competitors are doing, and before you know it, you have way too many social media accounts. So, why is this a problem? Most likely, you don’t have a strategy or the time needed to create quality and engaging content.
When planning your strategy, define your distinct brand message, set goals, and plan a social media calendar.
When planning your strategy, define your distinct brand message, set goals, and plan a social media calendar.
Don’t open a Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn account unless you have a clear picture of how those respective platforms will work for your brand or your target audience. A neglected social media account can be more damaging than no account at all. Think long and hard. Do you really need an Instagram account, or do you want one just because your competitor has one? Are you going to consistently write tweets, or are you opening that Twitter account only to lazily retweet what someone else has posted?
We advise customers to take their time when it comes to branching out into social media. Start off with a single platform, and expand only when you can consistently offer quality and relevant content for each channel while engaging with a growing audience. Additionally, it’s vital to develop new and original content that your followers won’t get anywhere else. Don’t just “borrow” content from other accounts. Remember, plagiarism was wrong in school and it’s not cool in social media either!
Paying for Fake Followers
Sure, millions of followers may help leverage your business and boost your ego, but it won’t help with increasing your return on investment (ROI) or user engagement. Your aim should be to build a genuine relationship with your audience and forget about the vanity numbers.
Lazy Editing and Proofreading
It may seem obvious, but companies often make the mistake of not proofreading and editing their posts. We cannot stress enough the importance of checking posts for missed punctuation, grammar errors and misspelled words. There’s no reason to have mistakes when online tools like Grammarly are available. Remember that while spelling and grammar may seem petty, it can damage your online presence and affect your credibility. One spelling or grammar error is one too many!
It’s always advisable to have a second (or third) set of eyes review beforehand any posts for potential typos. Someone in your company should be designated as the final arbiter of what’s posted. And please don’t let interns post anything without approval. Many politicians and companies have gotten into hot water when unacceptable content has been posted because the organization lacked the proper oversight.
Neglecting the “Social” Aspect of Social Media
Social media is such a great marketing tool because it’s responsive, and that’s what your audience expects. Your readers want connection with real people, not corporate robots. Don’t forget to humanize your brand by taking the time to cultivate valuable relationships while connecting with your audience. For example, posting photos that you and your coworkers have taken will provide your social media posts with an air of authenticity, rather than if you had simply used stock images from the Web.
We get it. 3PLs are just beginning to realize the potential of social media engagement. But there’s a lot to learn, and the truth is that the online platforms are dynamic and subject to rapid change. It’s a struggle to create a strong brand personality and to generate content while utilizing the right channels and platforms. After all, you want your brand to shine!
Use the list above to make sure your content is engaging and
relevant. We’re positive that when you take those steps, your content will be
better placed and will start working for
you today.
David Abell is Managing Director with AMT Squirrel Works, located in Olney, IL. He can be reached at [email protected]
Photo Credit: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com
