Hi guys
Everybody talks about social media and everybody agrees that it is essential for all companies, whatever size they are. And even if access to social media is open to everyone it is not something easy to implement and integrate within the company. Some company leaders ignore how to make it successful and useful for their business. That's where community managers are important. Lalaina Ramarokoto accepted to answer to my questions and I hope this will help you to clear your mind as well :)
Social Media and Community Manager, Lalaina is 2.0 girl passionate by the endless source of knowledge and creativity of the web. She lives and breathes social media, continually sailing between Facebook, Yelp, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest … Thirsty for all discoveries, she loves to travel. Based in Paris, she’s always looking for the latest bespoke food spot. She holds a Master degree in Marketing with a major in Advertising.
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The Strat Bar: What is a community manager and why this job is exciting?
Lalaina: I am currently working as a social and community manager in a digital communications agency specialized in the fields of luxury, lifestyle and gastronomy called Creative Feed.
I am in charge of managing and delivering all social media activities for some clients.
Basically, my job is to implement digital marketing strategies on all the social media platforms of our brands be it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest… In other words I execute social media campaigns; I create or look for relevant content for my community, I interact with influencers (mainly bloggers in my case) to build up brands’ online presence and reputation… Another important side of my job is the reporting part: being able to determine and analyze some key performance indicators and say whether or not our strategies are working or need a few adjustments.
I like my job because it combines two of the things I love the most: writing and social medias. I am definitely that cliché 2.0 millennial with a cellphone glued toher hand. I like being the brands “online voice” and therefore a communicator facilitator between them and their online communities. It’s also a job where you can let your creativity speaks since you always need to find ways to get people’s attention in a world where they get thousands of information everyday.
TSB: Why startups need to invest in social media?
Lalaina: In this era where everyone spends countless hours of his time on social media, it is very important, for businesses, to have an online presence. For brands, it has become a must in order to secure a place not only in the digital but also in the traditional marketplace. Social media marketing, when done well, can drive leads and sales. It can also boost your online reputation. It can really be a costless way to create brand awareness. Indeed, it can give them the opportunity to communicate with potential customers around the globe and interact with them: they can comment on the brands’ Facebook publications, reply to their tweets, like their Instagram picture… For example, in the case of a product launching, social media can be the best platforms to spread the news. This way, digital presence can keep them on the mind of their customers.
TSB: Which one are your favorite social media and why?
Lalaina: In terms of social media networks my two favorites are Pinterest and Instagram, probably because of their photo-oriented aspect. I am truly amazed by all the creative content you can find on these platforms. It’s very “visual”. So I guess it speaks to the photography-lover side of me. I like the fact that you convey messages through pictures. It’s challenging because that picture needs to be great and somewhat original. And who doesn’t love a little bit of challenge? Another thing that I really appreciate is that people engage more easily on theses networks. They see something they like? They are going to like it or comment. And odds are they are going to follow you if they like your Instagram gallery or find your Pinterest boards inspiring. The use of hashtags also makes it easier for people to look for content that hold their attention and engage with people that have the same interests. It’s an amazing opportunity for brands to follow and get to know their targeted audience.
TSB: What advise can you give to entrepreneurs that want to create a community on Instagram?
Lalaina: Instagram has 130 million active users per month. And 1 billion pictures are like everyday! Do I need to say more? Instagram can really be the best tool to do some products’ promotion by telling a visual story about your brand. A few tips to use Instagram the best way possible:
- Posting quality pictures on Instagram is THE KEY! It’s really all about the pictures! So take the time to take nice-looking, stylized, original photos. If you lack inspiration, you can look at what the suggested users on Instagram do (they’re users suggested by Instagram because of their inspiring work). And this way you might come up with ideas of your own.
- When you start from scratch with zero follower, start by following your target audience. How so? Simple! Find the accounts of your competitors and follow their followers. Make sure you have a few pictures in you gallery once you start following them so they can have a feel of what you do and what you are promoting.
- Instagram allows you to write some hashtags. Use them properly to attract potential customers to your page. You are selling cakes for example? Don’t forget to put the popular hashtags #foodporn or #foodstagram in your pictures captions.
- Write funny and engaging captions for your pictures! If someone comments on your picture, reply. If someone posts a picture of one of your product, compliment them! You audience needs to feel a real online presence.
- Instagram has this great feature that allows you to geolocalize your pictures. It’s a great tool for restaurant owners for example. When someone looks for the latest hot burger joint in the city on Instagram at a specific location, they will find you.
Thanks to Lalaina who accepted to answer to our questions.
I suggest you to discover her blog as well, which gives a great idea of her universe.
If you want to contact her:
I have a lot of other tools to talk about but before I continue to share those tips, there is another method that really helps me and I want to share it with you as it can help you as well: let's call it the "10 actions a day".
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