As the world continues to fight through one of the most devastating pandemics it has faced in recent times, almost all businesses have been faced with two fates: to adapt or to die. Many countries have found themselves locked indoors and this has made it quite impossible for some businesses to continue. Other businesses, on the other hand, have harnessed what only stands to become an even more crucial tool for our daily lives as the days progress – the internet. As the streets have gotten less crowded, the internet, and particularly social media, has done the opposite. Everyone and their mother has learnt a new TikTok dance in the past month and it’s been impossible to scroll through Instagram and Twitter without stumbling on one challenge or another. Online activity has peaked, and smart businesses have taken notice of this to ensure that they continue to thrive in this time. Brands have re-invented themselves online and, believe it or not, new businesses are even springing up. That new business you’ve been working on launching for months  . It’s simply a matter of redirecting your energies. Here are some essential tips to assist you successfully launch your brand on social media:

 

 

Lock In On Your Audience.

Finding out where exactly your target audience lives on the internet is arguably the most important step to getting your business to their door. Now more than ever, there is an overwhelming number of avenues your target market could be located, just on social media. It is key to zone in and handpick the significant ones or the ones of most interest to your niche. How do you do that? How do you begin? Simple — research! Do demographic research on the various social platforms to know who is where. One direction is to find out where your competitors are focusing as that will let you know where to set your sights as well. A more strategic approach is to take notice of where your competitors are not (but should be) and head there. Such areas usually have lower barriers to entry, less competition and more gaps and opportunities to fill. All the same, do not feel like you need to be everywhere at once – a jack of all trades is still a master of none. And in a time where there is an overflow of options, mastery is key. At this launch stage, you might not even have the resources to keep up with every platform, so simply focus your energies on the avenues that will be most beneficial to your cause. Even more key, when you don’t have the resources to fight with incumbents, is to find untapped niches in the larger audience.

Make a Plan.

What is your launch plan? Fit social media firmly into it. Given the current climate, this is not even an option. The speed at which the world is going digital has doubled in the past few months and you don’t want to be left behind. The fact that you’re reading this blog, however, means your head is in the right space. Your plan should include a posting calendar and schedule, possible activations, and strategies to incite and maintain engagement. It is important to ensure that this plan is adaptable to changes in the national and global climate, in this period, and generally makes room for other newsworthy items that will be of interest to your audience. You may not have the time or requisite knowhow to expertly pull all of this off, and so don’t hesitate to engage the services of a skilled digital marketing agency. A team skilled in marketing, analytics, SEO, customer service, public relations and altogether has an understanding of what you can and can’t do. Lastly, make sure to clearly define what is going to be measured to determine success – be it website traffic, interaction, quality leads, sales etc. A plan is not a plan without clearly defined goals.

 

Content. Useful Content.

Inasmuch as your primary aim with your launch, as far as social media is concerned, is to introduce/present your brand online, the content you create around this presentation is what is going to be most crucial to this launch. What is your roll-out plan and how engaging is it going to be to draw eyes to your brand? How is it going to stand out among the vast amount of information thrown at your target online every day? Scratch that, every minute. Does it maintain a sensitivity to the current time? Will you need influencers? These are the things you should be contemplating, and the representation of these things in useful and engaging content is what will eventually give wings to your launch and ensure that your followers connect with you and your brand for the right reasons. Understand that your primary focus should not be to sell right now, but to increase brand awareness/exposure and build a community of followers. Followers who will become leads. Leads who will eventually become customers and your brand’s most valuable advocates. Think chess right now, not checkers.

 

Content is King, But Consistency is Key.

We mentioned a roll-out plan in the last point, as well as a posting schedule a point prior. The success of your roll-out plan will largely depend on your ability to stick to it, as well as your posting schedule, religiously. Globally we are in a sensitive time so there will likely arise a need to adapt and facilitate based on some fresh information, but it is important to ensure that that doesn’t interfere with or disrupt your overarching plan. Consistency comes two-fold: in your time and in your tone. As you put out content regularly and people get introduced to your brand, it is key to ensure that your tone – visually and verbally is consistent. This is an important time where your audience is now deciding whether they like you or not and you will not get a second chance at a first impression. Ensure that your tone, first and foremost, authentically matches your brand values and secondly stays consistent over time and across channels. Different channels will require slight variances in approach but in the end your audience should always trust and know what they are getting when they come to you.

 

A small irony to the art of a launch is that in all your activities pre and during launch you should be thinking post launch. As far as an online launch is concerned, it will serve you best to have an eye on the community you are looking to build after this. Your venture into social media should be aimed towards building a community who will first and foremost connect with your brand, eventually patronize your products, and get others to do same. Your community is your greatest resource and best advocate. Building successful online communities takes time, dedication and skill. Short-cutting or half-assing this process may only nullify whatever good work you will start. Seek to invest the proper time, dedication and resources to your launch and you will see the benefits reaped bountifully in the long term.

Kenneth is a self-described subtle genius, creator and plug. Lock him up in a room with nothing but good music and something to create with and he’ll be perfectly fine. With extensive backgrounds in both engineering and art, Kenneth loves to combine both to create compelling content and forms of expression.