Marketing SOLUTION: Look at what others are doing in your industry. You’ll see a pattern very quickly where your competitors choose to focus on, where they succeed and where they might be struggling. Not to say you can’t branch out, but if you see a successful advantage to being on one platform over another initially, go with your gut. There is always an option to move onto another platform. Challenge #3: Managing your engagement and following Have you ever dived into the comments on a Facebook post? Most of the time, we are just innocent observers. Maybe we even get a giggle out of the comments before moving on. But when you’re navigating comments as a business page, especially one that deals with serious subject matter, comments can either be a welcome sight or a dreaded nightmare. While most comments are always well-received, there are always going to be instances of inappropriate behavior that needs to be monitored. If you aren’t on top of it, it could look bad on your brand image. “It’s the story of the double-edged sword: comments and engagement are encouraged...but one negative comment can lead to a landslide disaster.” On the other side of things, comments on Facebook can be the start of friendly conversation and engagement brands dream of. It’s the story of the double-edged sword. Comments and engagement are encouraged, and even necessary for some algorithms (think Facebook and Instagram: when your engagement is higher, there is a greater chance of your content being shown). They provide a potential lead, just as a cold call, word of mouth or other selling tactics provide. But one negative comment can lead to a landslide of a disaster before you even realize what’s happened. SOLUTION: Don’t have the time to constantly monitor? Our advice is to ensure you have those social platforms on your phone or connected to your computer. Give a quick glance every evening or morning. Typically, this will give you an average idea of what and when people are interacting with your posts and you can send a quick reply or continue the conversation without taking up much more than 5 or 10 minutes every day. Challenge #4: Growth Growing social channels has increasingly become harder and harder to do, with feeds being disrupted by noise, fake news and your posts just not being shown due to hard-hitting algorithms. Consistency in your posting schedule, knowing your audience and curating engaging content are all ways to help grow your page, but it’s been proven that what used to work doesn’t always cut it. Advertising has become a huge player on social media to get your message in front of your target audience. Medi Air Purifier Advanced Technology for the best clean Simple Operation for ease of use Sanitizes both air and surfaces Decontaminates your funeral home or residence from: • mold • dust • pollen • harmful pathogens “This is the best air purifier I’ve ever bought. I use one in my home and one at the funeral home. Our families are very happy with it, especially with coronavirus concerns.” Tom Hemmerle Barnett-Strother Funeral Home OGR Immediate Past President Call (800) 699-0960 and mention OGR to get $650 off list price; $700 off each unit when ordering 2 or more MediAirPurifier.com www.ogr.org | The Independent® 13
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