[Creative Business Exchange] Online content and social media basics for business

The crux of it lies in creating a space people can use to find out more about your business online, explains Van der Mescht. But this doesn't mean you have to spend millions on marketing: If you can't afford to build a website, make sure your business Facebook page has all the required information. It's also a good idea to use your other social media elements as tools to lead people to the main one you're populating, and remember that this all forms part of your business. That way, you're less likely to feel daunted by the challenge of social media. Simply replace the word 'social media' with 'communication' and you'll see how important it is.

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People get social media stage fright as they're not sure what to type, which turns into a procrastination cycle you need to break. It's not is hard as it seems: By narrowing the idea of content down, you focus on your vision and purpose in the long run. Van der Mescht's tip is to slow down and think about the message you share rather than panicking and sending out something quickly just to tick it off your list for the day.

Sharing good business content is good business practice

Also ensure any content you share is related to what you do as a business. That way you'll come across as more professional, and build a more loyal following. Not to say it has to all be serious content as there is value in spontaneity too, just make sure there's context to show how it's integrated into your business.

If you go to a social media site and their last tweet was in 2013, you wonder if they're still open. That's why Van der Mescht says if you go to the effort of starting up a presence in a specific social media channel, you need to make sure you're ready to commit to it.

It doesn't help to merely set up a Facebook page and hope that will do the trick either, as Van der Mescht says 80% of people never go to your business Facebook page. Instead, they rely on what they see of your statuses in their news feed, so it takes real commitment to drive constant engagement.

A picture says a thousand words

Talking through specific social media channels, Van der Mescht said not to ignore Instagram as a business channel - it opens you up to a global audience and is growing fast as it's visually driven. Even on Facebook, the majority of people look at the picture before deciding if they will read the words accompanying it, as there's so much clutter that we just turn off if we're not instantly engaged.

Don't forget the importance of Pinterest too, even if you don't get immediate results from it, as people tend to go back to their boards and buy products they pinned ages ago when they can finally afford to.

Van der Mescht's best advice for businesses embarking on social media

It's sad how often this rings true in clients Van der Mescht consults, but she says the advice she never tires of sharing is to include all your contact information in every new online space. Don't leave the description or biography box empty on your Instagram or Twitter account. Say exactly what you offer and never assume people know exactly what you do. "People are lazy to look for information," Van der Mescht explains. It's also important to remember the human element and reply to people.

Her favourite advice is from Will Taylor of Bright Bazaar blog, who says to write, tweet and photograph from the heart, as your readers want to know the real you.

Don't forget the human touch. Everything we do is for other humans, so communicate with them in a real, human way, don't have it all automated and scheduled. Things that work in getting people interested in your business are insights into behind the scenes of your business, as well as any new products news and team achievements.

The fact that social media moves so fast means you shouldn't be afraid to share information more than once in the social space, just shape it in a different way so it doesn't read as a repeat, as your business priorities are yours alone, they're not top of mind for your customers so won't seem repetitive to them. Create beautiful content that you use to reiterate a specific message.

Beyond liking for likes

While you definitely need to encourage interaction, it's beyond just asking for likes. They're treated in the wrong way and don't really leading to anything tangible. We don't want people to steal the ideas we have worked so hard on when we share them, and are worried about criticism of what we've created, as it's personal. Just think responsibly, says Van der Mescht: Think of how your grandmother and future children would feel seeing the content you share online - if you're OK with that, go ahead.

Lastly, when approaching the media or press for coverage, Van der Mescht says in the past it was easier to get noticed. Now there is such a lot of digital noise and everyone's inbox is overflowing, so you really need to make an effort to stand out. One way to do so is to be prepared: Build up a media kit or fact sheet that's ready to send out to people, as well as press packs that you send out when you have some news to announce. Have the professional courtesy to make it easy for people to react to what you send them by telling them your intended outcome and send them everything they would need to make this happen.

Click here for a reminder of Van der Mescht's first talk of the day, on 'branding beyond the logo', and here's a refresher of Caesarstone marketing director Trevor King's advice on how to build a strong brand.