What are your social media resolutions for 2015?

8 Jan

2015 is now well underway and, if you’re anything like me, by now you’ll have reached the stage where you can no longer justify having a piece of Terry's Chocolate Orange with (and between) every meal and are enjoying things getting back to normal again after the Christmas break.

It’s a widely accepted fact (as of now) that a grace period stretching a few days into January exists where it’s okay to not pursue your New Year’s resolutions as avidly as you will for the rest of the year. If you’re reading this, however, it means it’s time to knuckle down to some good old self-improvement.

For the guests of last year’s Sookio masterclass events, it’s all about upping their game on social media. We asked them what they’ll be doing to get more out of their respective audiences now that we’re living in the future. What do you think of their goals for the New Year? Do you have any resolutions of your own? Take a look and get in touch using the comment box below.

Hannah Craik from ASOS is setting out to develop her presence on existing platforms. She resolves to make better use of YouTube and to, in her own words, “do something cool with WhatsApp.” The scope for doing something cool with the cross-platform messaging app is certainly there with over 600 million users across the globe. She’s also promised herself to get her photo taken with a celeb for her Instagram feed.

Neema Cox of B&Q is resolving to be braver with social media and she advises smaller businesses to do the same. By pushing boundaries, she advises, brands can really excite those who choose to follow them. Producing amazing, innovative and provocative content gets people talking and, after all, that’s what social media is all about.

Athar Abidi from Age UK is looking to engage with followers more effectively by bringing response times down. This is looking like a common resolution for brands in an age where consumers expect, or even demand direct interaction on social.

He also resolves to find people who are looking for him before they know it themselves and shed the stigma surrounding tweeting the same content more than once. On Twitter, he says, there’s no need to be shy.

Dan Spicer from Hootsuite appears to have his own house all in order this year, but has a suggested resolution for others. He advises business owners to trust their employees with social media.

Putting the power to communicate in their hands, suitably forearmed with guidelines and objectives, will extend your reach. It will also let you engage with customers on a deeper, personal level by making your responses more agile and unified.

Barney Brown of the University of Cambridge has a hefty task in running one social media campaign for an incredibly varied brand.

His resolution for 2015 is to publish and promote some social media guidelines for the University to give all their communications a more cohesive voice. He also wants to up engagement by responding to more queries across all their platforms.

Alison Morris of Veiled Rebel resolves to consider the analytics of the social media platforms she uses in more detail and on a more regular basis. In her own words, “social media is fun, but I am also using it as a business tool.”

Great advice for any brands who feel they may be getting carried away producing content that might not be reaching the right people. Always remember that there are tools out there which can tell you the numbers you need.

Neil McClarty from Jagex is refusing to rest on his laurels this year. He vows to continue investing time in fledgling social media platforms and to explore any emerging platforms which show promise.

If you’ve got the luxury of time and resources to dedicate to your presence on social media, a little experimentation can liven things up and avoid stagnation by focusing on the same big platforms as everyone else.

Sarah Pettegree of Bray’s Cottage is also branching out. This year she’s seeing promise in platforms like Vine where bite-sized video content can complement her delicious pork pies.

She’s also resolving to keep everything both friendly and real. Auto-generated or scheduled content might work for other businesses, but the personal touch she brings to her social media means it just isn’t for her.

Jo Christy, AKA Miss Sue Flay, also heads into 2015 with her gaze set on producing video content. Video blogs are the order of the day, as she puts it, “I am not sure I’ll be the next Zoella, but I’d like to think my age and wit more than make up for it.”

We have every faith in her, and vlogging is a fantastic way to bring your brand’s voice and unique identity to your followers in a casual and personal manner.

How about you?

If you’ve found inspiration here for a healthy new social media programme this year, remember that this is just the tip of our guests’ collective wisdom iceberg.

Why not join our LinkedIn group on Straight-talking social media or check out the podcasts from last year’s events? As for us, we’ve got tonnes planned for the upcoming year, so be sure to join the Sookio mailing list to stay informed.