Worcester Business Journal

18 Worcester Business Journal | December 12, 2022 | wbjournal.com F O C U S C Y B E R S E C U R I T Y BY LIVIA GERSHON Special to WBJ W hen Elon Musk, the new owner of social media giant Twitter, took over the company this fall, he eliminated more than half of the company's employees and sought to change its moderation policies. In response, many companies stopped e growth and change of social platforms can be baffling, but a good strategy can help advertising or posting on the site. Among them was Vision Advertising of Northborough. Vision previously posted content to Twitter daily, along with the other major social media sites, said Communications Manager Catrina Gardner. "We have paused our posting on Twitter," Gardner said in late November. "No one's really manning the fort at Twitter. We don't really know who's got access to things and who's paying attention to what's getting posted." e dust-up at Twitter is just one example of the fast-changing social media environment. As some platforms rise and others fall, and as available features and popular trends shi, it can be hard for businesses to stay on top of their social media strategies. But Central Massachusetts advertising and marketing firms have advice about how to take advantage of what social media has to offer. "I always tell clients that consistency is really key," said Brittany Wong, CEO of Worcester marketing agency Studio Jade. Develop a social strategy Companies looking to take better advantage of social media should begin by creating a plan, starting with a firm idea of their goals, said Wong and Gardner. Some companies may be trying to reach potential customers and convert clicks to sales, while others want to show off their company culture to people who might consider applying for a job. en, it's possible to figure out what sort of content makes sense, whether it's testimonials, information about new products, or peeks behind the scenes. Companies can make use of scheduling tools so their account consistently posts the right mix of content each day. Emma Pagano, strategic director of Worcester digital marketing agency Pagano Media, points to the example of UPS, which keeps up an active presence on several social media platforms to build the shipping company's brand reputation. "UPS shares captivating photos of delivery trucks in scenic locations and spotlights delivery employees through video," Pagano wrote in an email. "ey even respond directly to customers in the comments section when asked about the status of packages!" Another big question is which social media platform or platforms to use. Some small businesses fall into the trap of jumping on an app that they've heard is hot right now, Gardner said. "Yes, you can go viral on TikTok, but if you spread yourself too thin, then you're not going to stick to any strategy," she said. "Instead of being everywhere at once, my suggestion is focus on one social media platform to start out." But which platform? at depends on a company's goals. LinkedIn is a great choice for many B2B firms, while customer-focused brands are more likely to use Instagram and Facebook, for both sales and employee recruitment, Pagano said. "With day-in-the-life Instagram stories hosted by employees, or photography of office culture, and employee-event updates, Instagram provides companies more room for human connection," she said. Facebook remains a valuable platform for many companies, partly because so many people use it. Gardner said another advantage of that network is it offers features like events and local groups, which provide an easy way to reach an audience in a particular location. "If you are someone that has a brick-and-mortar that offers services in a local area, you know that you're finding your target area that way," she said. The social media accounts for Vision Advertising of Northborough, including this post to Instagram, often showcase the employees of the company. IMAGE | COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM Making social media work for businesses Catrina Gardner, communications manager for Vision Advertising In its 2022 survey of 600 U.S. and Canadian small business owners, the Chicago-based business services provider UpCity found these were the types of social media posts creating the most customer engagement. Format % listing as top format Videos ................................................. 25% Promotions and offers ...................... 19% Images ................................................ 17% Testimonials and reviews ................. 12% Articles ................................................. 9% Infographics ......................................... 8% Quizzes and polls ................................ 6% Webinars .............................................. 6% Source: UpCity Digital post format winning the most engagement

• Cover