Happy New Year to you all!

With a new year comes the proverbial questions about the next big thing in digital marketing.  I think a better thing to focus on is what we can do better to get better results. This year we are putting a major emphasis on digital authenticity. 

What does that mean?

A few words come to mind: Transparency. Honesty. Being human. Being real.

The beautiful thing about social media is it allows us to humanize our business. Put faces to our call centers. Show us the dad or mom behind the salesperson.

But are you using it this way? 

Or are your social media platforms just digital billboards? 

Here are a couple of suggestions to help you with your digital authenticity:

1. Friend your VIPs. I’m Facebook friends with all of my clients. I’d have it no other way. We just celebrated my son’s 1st birthday and they celebrated with me. That’s real. I want them to know that I’m a business owner, but I’m a dad first. That means a lot to them.

2. Write TO your audience, not at them. When you’re posting to your Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, write as if you’re sitting across from a person. Add value to their day. Inspire them. Make them laugh.

3. Humanize your company. Take the lock off the door and let us inside. Share highlights like birthdays and work anniversaries. But also share challenges – don’t be afraid to be real. Transparency leads to trust. Trust leads to lasting relationships.

4. Engage in dialogue. Don’t be afraid to let others share their opinions – even if they differ from yours. As long as the conversation remains respectful, much can be learned from you…and your community. And don’t worry, you control these environments, so an offensive comment can disappear with the swipe of the delete key.

So instead of trying to conquer the next shiny, new social media tool, I suggest taking a look at your current content and see where you can improve on your authenticity. You’ll be glad you did!