Taking the plunge into the world of social media can be overwhelming, but there is no denying that it’s a necessary step to take if you want to grow your business. Even if you’re not quite ready to begin your business’ social media journey, there is still an immediate and necessary action you should take to make a little progress, that can shape the future of your business in a major way.
As soon as you commit to what your business name will be, one of the most valuable things you can do regarding social media is claim your social media handle across all platforms (even if you don’t plan on using them all); here are 3 reasons why:
- Brand Consistency Pays Off
Making it easy for consumers to remember you is extremely important and making it easy for them to find you on their preferred social media platform is equally as important. Having the same social media handle across all platforms makes it easy and highly reduces the chances of brand confusion. In short, you’ll want to make it simple for your audience to know and find you.
- The Power of Professionalism
Having the same social media handle across all social media platforms shows your business’ commitment to professionalism and it simplifies all your marketing endeavors, whether it’s print or digital. Instead of having a laundry list of various handles listed on every marketing effort, you can have one, unique handle, that is easily remembered and makes for a more aesthetically pleasing ad, email or business card. The more professional your business comes across, the more your audience will trust you.
- Reduce the Risk Right Away
When it comes to social media, individuality is a must. If you claim your handle on a couple of platforms and not the others, a business with a similar name could claim the same handle you use on those platforms and use it elsewhere, causing your audience to be confused or become uninterested in trying to track you down.
Imagine what could happen if your brand is confused with another business on a social media platform that you don’t use. The brand that’s not yours could send a totally different message than the one you are trying to send and create a negative image, that will be hard to erase.
Even if you don’t have a social media strategy, securing one consistent social media handle is a strategy in itself. If another business has the social media handle you want, don’t worry, there are minor ways to modify it, without losing its value. You can use acronyms or add words that describe the action you want your audience to take, i.e., “try”, “visit”, “watch”, and the list goes on; just make sure it makes sense and accurately reflects your business.
“Use it or lose it,” in terms of social media, means just that. For most popular social media platforms, if your account is inactive, you run the risk of having your account deactivated or unpublished. To protect your social media handle, be sure to post from time to time, even if it’s just a “coming soon” post.
Social media can be a very powerful promotional tool, if used correctly. Remember, you don’t have to be ready to become active on social media, but it’s always good to be prepared. Preparation is key and, in this case, it comes in the form of being proactive with staking your claim out in the world of social media, by getting your business the unique social media handle you want and need to be most successful and memorable, in years to come.
