Meat Management Column: The Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media

This column was originally published in Meat Management in August 2020.

Meat has been traded internationally for over a hundred years, during that time meat traders have seen much change and had to familiarise themselves with new technologies; social media is just the latest phenomenon to impact the industry. Companies should utilise this online marketing tool to further public outreach and keep up with the competition. This article considers some of the do’s and don’ts of using social media to drive business forward in the current age.

Do keep up with trends on social media: Platforms such as Twitter allow you to see what is being talked about by following certain topics. By following topics like Brexit, you can see the top tweets by any stakeholder in the industry where you can ascertain trends which could help you with strategy.  

Don’t buy into fake news: The beauty of social media is that you can post anything, which is a hazard because so can anyone else! Make sure to fact check posts you come across before making any decisions, particularly financial. For instance, due to coronavirus there has been a proliferation of online scams related to PPE, face masks, sanitiser etc.  

Do take advantage of marketing tools: If your customer posts them tucking into one of your delicious steaks, and tags your company, you’ve automatically got some advertising to their followers.  This audience may trust this endorsement more than one they’ve read on a paid advertisement. Suppliers to restaurants can benefit indirectly if diners Instagram their meals, driving more business, whether you are selling in the UK or internationally. Use insight tools to view your reach, you will be able to determine what works from there, befriend experimentation!

Don’t forget your customers: Followers will interact with you and it’s vital you reply in a friendly yet professional manner to maintain your reputation. Do your best to help with queries – it will be appreciated, and it will be seen by other potential customers. Building reputation is important on social media as it will be there forever!

Do be consistent: Regular posting equals regular engagement which sparks growth and ultimately sales. Try to post consistently whilst mixing up the content. Have a variety of sales posts and general industry posts, you could talk about global trade and industry statistics. Consumers like to know you care about the industry you work in.

Don’t forget the best times to post: Building engagement when you first create a profile is hard, to gain a loyal following try posting at these times where social traffic is busiest:

·       LinkedIn – Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 7-8 A.M., 12P.M. and 5-6P.M. Avoid posting in the evening.

·       Twitter – Wednesdays at 12P.M., 3P.M. and 5-6P.M. Avoid posting in the morning.

Do consider using automation software: To hit these key times, services such as Buffer, CoSchedule and HubSpot allow you to pick when your posts are shared and on what sites. This helps if you’re in a meeting or offsite.

Don’t be afraid to use engagement tools: Hashtags and tagging key figures and companies can push your message, use hashtags of relevant topics like  #meattrade or #meatsales to bring people who don’t necessarily follow you to your tweets. Tagging people and companies brings their attention to what message you want to get across. They will often share your posts, increasing your audience and brand presence.

Social media should be a part of every business plan in 2020 and beyond. By allowing you to find and share information it is a one-stop gateway to knowledge and promotion. (It also costs a lot less than traditional advertising!) Following these do’s and don’ts could help to set you up for social media success, good luck!