Updated September 2020
Social media has become an integral part of digital marketing for business. In the past decade, we’ve seen the continued blurring of social media into other areas of digital brand management — from SEO and blogging, to email advertising and website design. The success of these digital marketing strategies improves with the incorporation of an active social media presence.
As social media continues to grow in digital marketing, employees must be seen as an essential part of developing a brand identity. Training employees on the do’s and don’ts of social media, and best practices for the top social media platforms, should be part of that development. But why do employees improve successful digital marketing strategies, and why is social media training so vital as we head into the next decade?
The Top Five Reasons To Invest In Social Media Training For Your Team:
1. Employees can help to protect your brand identity, or harm it.
Employees can have a major impact on your brand — from building trust in your company to creating engagement with followers. Employees who are trained in social media are more likely to use it responsibly, and be more thoughtful in what content they share. This responsible use of social media can help protect the company from employees sharing information that is potentially damaging or isn’t made public, even if it is just a mistake.
2. Employees play a large role in promoting your brand on a personal level.
Employees who are trained in social media best practices are more likely to build a personal brand identity and trusted social engagement with their friends and followers. According to a 2019 article on Sociabble, content shared by employees receives eight times more social engagement than content shared by brand channels. When it comes to social media marketing, that stat is too impressive to ignore — and it’s only the beginning.
3. Employee shares are seen as more authentic than corporate shares.
Recent research conducted by LinkedIn shows employees, on average, have social networks ten times larger than corporate brands. Perhaps even more important, their shares are viewed as more authentic by comparison. By encouraging employees to engage with your social media community as trusted information providers, you can build stronger bonds with customers that will lead to an increase in content engagement, a boost in visibility, and a greater return on investment.
4. Social employees equal more productive employees.
Encouraging employees to be social media savvy helps to increase engagement, and in turn, productivity and profits. According to Forbes, highly engaged teams increase profitability by 21%. They also show higher rates of job satisfaction, which can decrease stress, absenteeism and quality issues. Providing social media training to your employees also shows that you value your team and are invested in their success.
5. Employees have the ability to drive lead generation and conversion.
Generating leads and then converting those leads into deals are important factors of a successful social media marketing strategy. According to a study conducted by the Marketing Advisory Network, leads developed through employee social marketing convert seven times more frequently than other leads. In addition, LinkedIn reports that only 3% of employees share business-related content, yet these shares are responsible for driving up likes, reshares and comments by a whopping 30%. Just imagine what your employees can do with the right training!
Your employees are a valuable asset. As the importance of social media continues to increase in digital marketing, employee training will become key in creating a successful strategy. The social media marketing experts at Aliya Hammond Consulting can help your business get ahead of the digital marketing curve by providing training to employees on the best practices of social media, including how to increase your presence and promote your business on the top social media platforms. Contact us today for more information!
You’ve probably realized by now that Social Media is no longer an option. In fact, it is a vital and highly successful tool for building a business. Aliya Hammond Consulting is an online Digital Marketing, Training, and Consulting Company headquartered in the greater Philadelphia area. We specialize in Social Media Management and Marketing, Social Media Training, Blog Writing, and Graphic Design Services for small and large businesses, entrepreneurs, and non-profit organizations. If you are looking to improve or increase your online presence, you can rest assured you are in good hands with us. Contact Aliya Hammond Consulting today to find out how we can help your business grow!
