3 foundational characteristics needed for social media success

With over 2.5 billion worldwide users, the flow of information on social media moves at an unprecedented speed. As businesses everywhere are learning, being successful in social media marketing is not as simple as it looks.

A captivating post requires a great deal of research and planning. When done correctly, social media can do wonders to spread brand messaging to widespread audiences. In fact, a report by Social Media Examiner found that nearly 90 percent of marketers claimed their social media efforts were responsible for increasing business exposure last year.

Success depends heavily on the character of the one working behind the scenes. Here are three common threads that define a savvy expert.

1. Great listener

Crafting relevant posts requires empathy. Empathy stems from the ability to critically understand the concerns and interests of others. Great marketing strategies do not start with talking, they start with listening and examination.

Social media is an incredibly dynamic ecosystem, especially from a business standpoint. In order to create compelling content, it is crucial to be adept in monitoring conversions to identify the hot-button issues relating to a specific industry.

Tools like Mention enable you to track your brand, competitors, keywords or entire industries to see which topics are resonating.

Mention.com

A skilled social media specialist can glean valuable insights tailored to their business and address relevant issues.

A knack for social monitoring is essential for things like proper crisis management, competitive analysis and targeting the right influencers.

Strategic listening is your strongest ally when it comes to collaborating and interacting with the target audience in a manner that captivates. Tracking behavior and developments in opinion are some the key ingredients of content marketing.

2. Involved specialist

The term “social butterfly” was around long before platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn graced the world with their presence. Even though these networking outlets have changed the finer details of what it means to be social, the fundamentals have remained the same.

A social butterfly is generally described as a person who is socially dynamic, charismatic and personally gregarious and has a keen sense of networking. These qualities have certainly held the test of time and may be even more applicable in the age of social media.

Regardless of whether it’s a group that meets up on Sundays for wine tasting, or a deeply connected network of entrepreneurs, a savvy expert knows how to naturally blend into various social scenarios and provide intellectual contributions.

Luckily, there are all sorts of programs on the market these days to make getting involved and networking easier than ever. TagFi, for example, is an app that enables you to pinpoint and become part of social circles that apply directly to your interests. From personal activities to professional endeavors, this app can do a lot to help you get your name out there and start making valuable connections.

As a whole, one of the most fascinating aspects of social media is its ability to bridge the gap between personal and professional messaging. A high level of social involvement plays to this concept and builds crucial interaction skills necessary for boosting engagement.

3. Versatile writer

One thing social media has placed a strong importance on is written language. In a world where every single word is dissected for deeper meaning, adaptable writing skills are now more vital than ever.

Social networking sites have imposed restrictions in which different approaches are needed. For example, a Twitter post can only be 140 characters or less. Therefore, producing a post is similar to writing a headline in that each word — or letter — must be used strategically to communicate meaning in a compelling way.

On the other hand, successful blog writing requires the ability to craft long copy in a consistent tone with a deep understanding of the target audience.

Writing for social media is all about being able to seamlessly create attention-grabbing content for every outlet. The truth of the matter is that writing quality material takes a great deal of time and practice.

There are all kinds of resources to help improve your mechanics. Slick Write, for instance, is a user-friendly tool that allows you to copy and paste your social media content into a window that analyzes each part of your writing to find any grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. There are different configurable editorial levels to point out things like biased language or gender-specific pronouns.

Credit: SlickWrite.com

There’s no denying we live in a society where people are easily offended and quick to jump to conclusions. Unfortunately, social media only magnifies this concept. One small lapse in judgement can spell big trouble for your brand. For this reason, a versatile writer must be practical, technical, emotional and socially aware in order to thrive.

Parting words

Social media is an entity that is here to stay. It has changed communication as we know it and revolutionized the way people make connections. Requirements for success are evolving by the hour, and there will always be a need for creativity and dynamism. Great listeners have the ability to gauge development and know when to act. Involved specialists know how to make their voices heard by the masses. Versatile writers can formulate influential messages that leave strong impressions. To achieve high-caliber results, a social media manager needs to possess these traits above all else.