Charlotte Hill

Social Media Marketing: The Do’s and Don’ts [2022]

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The Do's and Don'ts of Social Media Marketing

Today more than ever, having a social media presence is necessary. Not only do customers expect it, but social media marketing can also help you increase sales. It is also a great tool for learning about your target audience and industry demands.

Social media marketing is an inexpensive, yet effective, way of reaching customers across a range of platforms. With organic social media marketing, you get to understand your followers and find more unique and more effective ways of promoting your brand. In this article, we will discuss the do’s and don’ts of marketing on social media. This will allow you to create an effective and long-term social media strategy even with a limited budget.

What is Social Media Marketing?

Social media marketing involves using platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest and TikTok to effectively reach a wider audience and communicate with outstanding or potential customers.

An effective social media strategy will humanize your brand, drive traffic to your website and establish a reputation that competitors can’t ignore. Depending on your goals, you can also generate leads and sales. Some small businesses even will use social media as their main source of customer service. Meaning that their consumers can message them directly to resolve any issues. There is a range of possibilities on what social media can do for businesses and below are a few tips on the do’s and don’ts of social media marketing.

Social media marketing the do's and don'ts
Social Media Marketing- The Do’s and Don’ts

The Do’s of Social Media Marketing

Do post on social media consistently

A common mistake businesses make when executing their social media strategy is to start all guns blazing and start publishing with an intense posting routine, just to then quickly lose interest and either stop posting as regularly or at all in that matter. This is a recipe for disaster and highlights the need for a posting schedule.

Bulk planning content, to then schedule said posts, makes publishing social media posts a breeze, whilst avoiding the issue of forgetting to post. Tools like Hootsuite and Buffer are recommended as you can schedule posts months in advance. With scheduling tools like these, you have no excuse not to have a stream of regularly published content.

Do find a sustainable publishing frequency

Following on from my previous point, finding a sustainable and effective publishing frequency is perhaps one of the most important aspects of building a brand on social media. There is no rule that the algorithm favours, so you should simply commit to a frequency that you can uphold and sustain long-term.

Do have fun with social media

There is a fine line between business and personal humour when it comes to social media, and it is crucial that businesses get creative. You need a good connotation associated with your brand. Spicing up your social channels by using inoffensive, yet humourous captions or memes, can not only help increase engagement but also your retention rate.

Do use a range of Media

Social media is forever growing. It is imperative that your brand keeps up with the times and this should reflect in your content. Using the same old 3:4 aspect ratio image can get repetitive and may even be missed by your followers. Hence why it is important to involve some degree of variation in your feed.

Video media is increasing in popularity and platforms like TikTok have already taken advantage of this. Because of the amazing interaction, video media has received, other social platforms like Facebook and Instagram and integrated video media wherever they can. For example, Instagram has now favoured reels and they have increased the number of seconds reels and stories can be.

This is why it is so important for your business to produce unique and creative content in a range of media formats.

Do use the right social platform

There are numerous social media platforms available for businesses to use, but just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Here are the main considerations you should think about for each platform:

Facebook:

This platform alone has 2.11 billion users, which means it is a very popular platform for businesses to appear on. Facebook allows businesses to do a range of things activities like, posting a range of media, scheduling posts, setting up a Facebook Shop, create events and incorporating paid advertising. When determining whether or not to be on this platform, you need to think of where your target audience is, because if they’re not on Facebook, chances are you’ll be fighting a losing battle.

Instagram:

Instagram is an aesthetically pleasing platform. Users are encouraged to use a range of media to produce and publish good-looking content. Most businesses are on Instagram as it is a great platform to connect with consumers as well as other businesses. Collaborations and influencer marketing are often seen on this channel. This form of social media marketing has proven beneficial for companies, especially on Instagram. Instagram allows users to post reels, images and stories, set up a shop (linking to their Facebook one) and set up paid campaigns.

Twitter:

This platform is designed to help connect like-minded people to allow them to share thoughts and feelings with a wider audience. Twitter allows users to discover stories regarding world events and news, follow other businesses and profiles and post opinions and relevant information. The platform is a very fast platform and for businesses, it is very easy to get lost. However, with the right strategy, Twitter can be proven very beneficial for brand recognition and customer service.

TikTok:

TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing app that allows users to create and share 15-second videos, on any topic. It is the fastest-growing social media platform ever and it is unlikely that you won’t find competitors there. As a result of TikToks’ clever algorithm, it is the easiest platform to grow a presence on. Also, brands have said they see much more engagement on TikTok compared to other platforms.

This doesn’t mean it’s right for you. You can only include one link on TikTok and that is in your bio. This means actually getting people from the platform to your website is more difficult than normal. TikTok does allow you to run paid ads, which gives you the opportunity to share a page or for consumers to buy directly from the ad. TikTok is very beneficial for brand recognition, but maybe not so much for sales. This is something you will have to consider when choosing to be on the platform or not.

Social Media Marketing- Image showcasing aspects of social media
Social Media Marketing

The Don’ts of Social Media Marketing

Don’t make grammar or spelling mistakes

Successful businesses, with a large social following, will always get a second pair of eyes to look over work before publishing. Grammar or spelling mistakes, take away from the users’ experience and does not prove your brand to be reputable.

Don’t give in to trolls

With a rise in following, businesses are bound to run into trolls. Trolls post inflammatory content with the sole aim to get a rise out of the account. Instead of giving them what they want, you should remain professional and report the account. You do not want to humour these kinds of comments. This will only encourage more and dampen your brand reputation.

Don’t forget about your stories

Stories are there to keep your brand at the top of your follower’s minds. If you do not utilise stories fully, you are not taking full advantage of the tools you have. Stories should be used to share announcements, special events, industry information or product information. They should be interactive and keep within the company’s brand.

Don’t forget your target audience

When bulk planning content, it is imperative to remember who you are catering your content towards. If you lose sight of this, you will lose engagement and retention. Post interactive stories and write open captions so that your followers have the chance to interact with your brand. Promote user-generated content, run competitions and create hashtags to encourage users to talk about your brand, because after all, they are the most important people in this scenario.

Want to pursue a career in social media? Take a look at the Digital Marketer Level 3 course!

Golf Greenkeeper Apprenticeship – Level 2

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Do you have a passion for golf and want to “take a swing” in the industry? Well, our Golf Greenkeeper Apprenticeship Level 2 could be the perfect opportunity for you. Read on to find out more about our “tee-rific” apprenticeship program.

Overview of role

The main responsibility of a Golf Greenkeeper is to care for the maintenance and appearance of a golf course, keeping in mind the employer’s requirements and expectations.

Level 2 Apprentices must be abe to maintain an outstanding quality playing surface for golfers, by ensuring day-to-day duties are carried out safely and efficiently.

Duration and Entry Requirements of Apprenticeship

Duration

The course typically will take an apprentice 24 months to complete. This reduces if an apprentice has already gained prior knowledge and skills working on a golf course or other sports turf facilities.

Entry Requirements

Potential apprentices will have to have a minimum of 5 GCSEs, at grades A-D (including Maths, English and Science) or other equivalent vocational qualifications. In some cases, entry requirements will be determined by individual employers.

Employers who recruit apprentices without any of the above qualifications will have to ensure the apprentice achieves Level 1 in English and Maths by the end of their apprenticeship.

Introduction to the Golf Greenkeeper Apprenticeship

The main responsibility of a Golf Greenkeeper is to oversee the maintenance, care and appearance of a golf course, in line with the expectations of the employer. It is their role to maintain a good quality playing surface and ensure the course is suitable for golfers.

There are 4 turfgrass areas on a golf course – greens, tees, fairways, and areas of rough. Each of these requires a different type of maintenance. It will be your role to manage and use different pieces of equipment competently to ensure the best output for each surface. All training provided.

While on the apprenticeship, you will build up a skills portfolio, which will help you in your mission to become a qualified Golf Greenkeeper. Skills you will learn are, learning to conduct ecological and environmental operations, bunker maintenance, planting turf, and developing wildlife habitats.

By the end of the apprenticeship, you will have experience in all the different aspects of golf ground maintenance and the operations associated with this.

This career can take you wherever the game of golf is played. Meaning you will have a flexible choice in where your career is situated, as well as getting to embrace the sport you love every day.

Cities across the UK and further afield, are actively investing in this sport, so the skills you build during your apprenticeship will never go to waste!

Maintained golf course, golf greenkeeper apprenticeship
Maintained Golf Course With Golf Ball

Skills you will acquire:

  • Maintain a good level of health and safety for yourself and others
  • Prepare the golf course for play, which includes tasks like removing early morning dew and debris from the green, ranking bunkers and moving tee markers
  • Prepare and safely use relevant machinery to complete tasks to a high standard
  • Apply turf treatments safely and effectively
  • Maintain and renovate bunkers and other hazards like water features
  • Maintain and improve drainage and irrigation systems
  • Use a variety of integrated methods to control weeds, fungal diseases and pests

By the end of the apprenticeship, you will be able to:

  • Identify your role in monitoring and maintaining health and safety protocols within the workplace
  • Identify several types of grass, weeds, pests and diseases
  • Acknowledge the primary aspects of soil and plant biology
  • Understand the principles of mowing and machine maintenance and their operation
  • Understand and perform strategies for controlling weeds, pests, diseases and turf disorders
  • Be able to competently handle machinery and technology
  • Understand how fertilisers, top dressing and chemicals affect playing surfaces
  • Recognise the importance of environmental and ecological best practise
  • Be aware of the importance of the rules of golf and golf etiquette

The Behaviours of a Golf Greenkeeper

Golf club employers are very customer focussed and will require apprenticeships to have a specific set of personal skills and behaviours that will ensure success in delivering excellent customer service and detailed deliverables.

Skills you must have as a Golf Greenkeeper Apprentice:

  • High attention to detail
  • Flexible, positive attitude to work
  • Have the ability to work well on your own or within a team environment
  • Ability to learn
  • Be a clear and effective communicant who can use a variety of communication methods to give/receive information accurately
  • Have a proactive take on problem-solving

What you will get from this apprenticeship:

The standard is recognised by the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA), the professional body for Greenkeepers.

By the end of your apprenticeship, you will be eligible to join BIGGA as a full member and become a BIGGA Accredited Golf Greenskeeper. The successful apprentice will have the opportunity to progress to a higher level of the apprenticeship standard.

Apprentices who have completed the programme will have enhanced job opportunities, such as senior positions within golf facilities as well as the option to progress by working in other sports facilities, specifically in roles such as Grounds Maintenance Technician

Conclusion

As you can see, the Level 2 Golf Greenkeeper apprenticeship is an excellent starting point for anyone looking to pursue a career golf maintence. The core skills covered in the apprenticeship will open up a wide range of job opportunities. In addition, you will earn while you learn and excellent progression opportunities exist to advance your career. An example being the Level 3 Golf Greenkeepers Apprenticeship. Employers are keen to use apprenticeship to shape how their employees learn and progress. The type of job roles that will open up over the coming years could be endless for anyone that commits their future to a career in maintenance.

Not what you were looking for? Find other suitable apprenticeships.