💻 Communicating on Social Media during COVID-19 — Webinar and Q&A

[Caitlin_M]

Many small business owners are unsure how to proceed with marketing their business and communicating with their audience during this time. Social media is still a great way to reach your audience and market. But you must be cautious of your messaging.

As part of our Small Business Support Kit, Constant Contact has been hosting a free weekly webinar series that includes practical advice on putting your action plan to work. You can watch the webinar in its entirety below. Last week we hosted part two, focusing on communicating via social media. Our special guest speakers were Patrick Gillooly, Director of Marketing, Social Ads, and Audience Strategy and Abby Chapin, Senior Product Manager. Topics discussed during this webinar included:

• Tips for marketing your business or organization on social
• Ideas to engage and communicate without sounding insensitive
• How to easily create and manage your organic social efforts within Constant Contact
  
  

Here are some of the questions during the webinar from our attendees:

Social Media Strategy

My business is just starting out on social media. Which platforms would be the best to post on?

Ultimately, this depends on your business and the industry that you're in. You want to be where your audience is. Patrick has written a fantastic blog article about what social media platform is right for your business or organization. 

Can you give examples of how to use social media in B2B?

Many of the same principles still apply. You want to make sure you are showing your expertise. LinkedIn is a great platform for most B2Bs. Some can even find success on Facebook and other platforms. Check out this post from the Constant Contact Blog for more information.

On Facebook, should I be posting to my personal or business account or both?

For your business, you'll want to post to your business page. If you have personal friends and followers interested in your business, you can find value in sharing it from your business page to your friends.

Do you recommend using different content for each social platform that I am on rather than sharing the same one across the board every time? 

Yes, especially since each platform has its own advantages. Tailor your message to your audience and what each platform offers (high-quality images for Instagram, links and photos on Facebook) and stagger your posting times so it doesn't go out all at once.

How can I grow my list on social media during this time? Does Constant Contact have a tool for this?

Yes, we have many different list growing tools that can be used in conjunction with your social media strategy, including a Facebook Sign Up form or creating a lead ad for Facebook and Instagram.

How can I share my Constant Contact email on social media?

By using our Social Share tool, you can share your email with just a few clicks on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can even customize the post with your own text and a relevant image. 

 

Social Posting through Constant Contact

Can I post to my social accounts when I am logged into my Constant Contact account?

You can with our Social Posting tool for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! We covered this tool within the webinar but you can read our Knowledge Base article about our Social Posting tool for a quick overview. If you would like to see a demonstration, click here for Abby's live demonstration given during the webinar. You can also schedule social posts for a future date.

Is there an additional cost for this product?

No, it's included in all Constant Contact accounts. However, if you wish to view or engage in a social media conversation, you will need to upgrade to Email Plus.

What types of accounts can be connected so I can start creating posts?

Any Twitter account can be connected. However, for Facebook and Instagram, you will need a business account as personal accounts cannot be connected. Read our Knowledge Base article for a full walkthrough on connecting your business Facebook and Instagram accounts. 

Once a post has been created, can it be edited? I don't like the image that I selected.

Since Twitter does not allow the editing of tweets, the post can only be deleted. Facebook and Instagram posts can be edited from within that specific platform.

What results can I see after I've done my post? Am I able to see the demographics of who saw the post?

We cannot record demographics but the reporting for social posts will include the reach of your post and what engagement was created as a result of it.

I like to take pictures on my phone and I want to use them in a social post. Can I do that?

Yes, with the Constant Contact mobile app, you can upload photos from your phone to your library.