By Kenneth Barilari
With my college graduation just a few weeks away and my GLA internship coming to an end, I’ve been reflecting on what I’ve learned the last four years both personally and professionally. This includes taking a closer look at social media which, as a millennial, I’ve never known a life without and which, like most people, I use primarily on a personal level.
But after four years of college and several communications internships, and after being given the chance by the GLA team to take over their various social media accounts, I have learned that social media has a very strong place in the business world as well. I’ve also discovered that with its vast and viral reach, social media marketing is an important tool to help companies of all sizes grow their business, and ensure their messages are heard.
Here are some of my key takeaways:
Team #Selfies
In the past, I worked for a company that would post photos of the staff working regularly. These posts did well with our audience, as they humanized the company. This taught me to always make yourself seem approachable when handling social media for business. It is always nice to put a face to the name, and helps you stand out when compared to a company that posts generic messages with no human feel.
The Study of Twitter
During my time at Seton Hall, I took various classes with social media components and had the good fortune to work on some real-life business cases. (Thank you, professors!) Through these exercises, I learned the importance of maintaining your social media channels. If a company (or an aspiring professional like myself) does not post regularly, people will be less inclined to follow that company. So, I try to post at least once a day, highlighting relevant news and promoting work of my own. I have also created a content calendar for GLA so their social channels are maintained as well.
We’re Sorry to Hear That!
In my personal life, I have found that audience interaction is also a great way to get a sense of what people like and don’t like. If I reach out to a company with an inquiry, I always gain respect for them when they respond quickly and effectively resolve the issue. This makes me feel valued and makes me more inclined to do business with them again, as opposed to making me feel unheard and neglected.
In Conclusion
As I navigate my way into the workforce, I hope to use these experiences to my advantage. I am still relatively new to this, so it is a work in progress. Social media is ever-changing, and there are new things to learn every single day. In my next blog, I’ll share some thoughts on social media practices, giving a few simple tips that I have picked up.
