For many C-suite executives, social media seems like the least important part of their communications strategy. As social media continues to evolve, developing and fine-tuning a strategy and presence becomes increasingly important. A healthy corporate social media account allows executives and their companies to have their finger on the pulse of the industry and react to consumers and trends in real-time.

That holds even for companies trying to reach consumers. Gartner reports that 40% of B2B customers use social media to help inform their purchasing decisions. Working with a savvy social media public relations agency will help you identify gaps in your online presence and teach your business how to improve content development, reach and lead generation.

Social media is exciting. It’s flashy, attention-grabbing, and sometimes provocative. Brands across various industries have taken their shot at creating a social media presence that stands out against competitors. When a strategy works, it’s a gold mine for brand image and causes your interactions and visibility to soar.

When social media falls short, it sends a shockwave against your company’s public image and requires extra time spent on damage control. A great PR team will help you avoid pitfalls, maintain proper online etiquette and keep your company #trending.

Post Frequency

Deciding how often you should post on various social media platforms can be a headache. Each platform has slightly different posting styles, audiences and interaction rates. LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook are currently top platforms for B2B businesses, so focusing on post frequency within these spaces is key.

  • LinkedIn: Hubspot research found that businesses should post at a similar frequency to Facebook: at least once a day and no more than five times per week. Quality wins out over quantity on LinkedIn, and your account will be rewarded in the algorithm for crafting unique, insightful posts.
  • Twitter: Twitter users are active and responsive. With Elon Musk’s desire to transform the platform into a digital town square, your business should stay engaged in relevant conversations. It’s unrealistic to expect your business to be as active as Musk himself, but you will see results by posting between one and five Tweets per day.
  • Instagram: Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri suggests businesses should share a few in-feed posts per week and post a few stories each day. A PR team will guide you in filtering through which content is suitable for in-feed posts versus stories.
  • Facebook: With 2.9 billion active users, Facebook dominates as the largest social media platform. Businesses should aim to post at least once a day and no more than five times per week. Hubspot cautions against over-posting on Facebook to not overwhelm your audience with content. Remain relevant and timely to achieve the greatest success.

Using Hashtags

Research which hashtags are frequently used by influencers, target publications or industry verticals, customers, and competitors to determine what words or phrases are important to your audience. Relevant hashtags allow the right people to find your content and boost overall engagement with your account. Your PR team will track this research and its impact through social media management tools like HubSpot.

Once you’ve assembled your arsenal of hashtags, put it into practice in the most effective way. Limiting hashtags to three to five per post enables you to reach the most targeted audience and obtain the algorithm’s approval. It is also beneficial to embed your hashtags within the social copy if relevant –– rather than at the end of the post.

Online Interactions

Frequently interacting with your audience online is the easiest way to remain relevant. Your account is not the same as a website, simply broadcasting information. It is a presence that can engage directly with your audience. This engagement is most important on platforms like Twitter, where entire conversations between users often occur.

In all conversations, tag relevant accounts, publications, journalists, and customers when applicable. Avoid leaving these conversations hanging for long periods. All active corporate accounts should aim to respond to users within 24 hours, with 76% of consumers expecting a response in that time or less.

Brand Voice

Just as your business expresses itself through owned and paid media, social media requires a voice. Your social media presence should reflect your brand’s core values and remain similar to your already established voice and content. A full understanding of your target audience, what they like and how they interact online will guide the development of your social media presence.

Whether you choose a formal or casual tone as your social media voice, ensure it’s consistent across all channels by creating a style guide. Social media provides an opportunity to create a persona and showcase it in a new light to consumers. This typically includes a keyword list and guidelines with sample posts. PR teams also use social listening tools, like Google Alerts, to monitor brand sentiment as you finalize style.

Most importantly, your business should try new things and experiment with what and when content resonates most with your audience. There is no magic formula but rather trial and error to find the sweet spot in social media success. Look for a PR agency that will support your corporate social media accounts and help them flourish.