Social media is definitely a useful tool for waste management companies. With the right strategies, your social media platforms can be low cost tools to help spread the reach and scope of your company.

By Kandice Cole

Social media is consuming society as each of the platforms become more popular each day. According to the “We Are Social” Digital yearbook, there are more than 2.3 billion active social media users on the Internet. There are 176 million more social media users this year than there were last year. Social media isn’t just about staying personally connected either. Businesses are reaping the benefit as well. Ninety-one percent of retail brands use two or more social media channels. Also, 50 percent of shoppers make a purchase via a recommendation on a social network. Even with these statistics, is social media helpful to the waste management sector? According to some organizations, social media is proving to be an effective tool for their waste management companies.

Lynn Brown, Retired VP of Corporate Communications and Community relations at Waste Management, told Kissmetrics Blog, “These (social media) channels also help us to tell the story of waste and recycling in an engaging way that helps people understand the services we provide.” Waste Management currently has nearly 100,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter alone. They have been using social media to rapidly expand their reach and grow their brand.

Social media also provides a large platform to share about waste management initiatives, such as recycling programs. Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection created several Facebook and Twitter pages to reach out to residents and businesses more quickly about various programs that they were introducing. They also saved money by printing off less brochures and marketing materials.

How to Benefit from Social Media

So, how can your organization or company benefit from social media? By employing clear and simple strategies to broaden your company’s reach to more people. When used in this way, you will be able to quickly connect to prospective clients, current customers and other waste management communities. Here are eight strategies that will get your social media off to a great start.

 

#1: Choose the Right Platforms

The first and most important step is to choose social media platforms that make the most sense for your company. Think about company goals and values. Does your company want to connect with customers more quickly? Is social media being used to attract new clients?  It is better to focus on a few social media outlets rather than spreading everything across many channels.  Have a lot of pictures and video content? Consider Instagram or YouTube. Want to interact quickly with followers? Twitter or Facebook may be the best. Want to make connections that lead to increased sales leads? Try LinkedIn. The possibilities are endless.

 

#2: Create Great Content

Keep your followers interested by creating or sharing high-quality content. A percentage of posts should highlight products and services of your company. Another large percentage of your content should be curated from other online spaces—such as an informative blog post or social media post from another waste management company.  The Twitter account of the National Waste & Recycling Association (@wasterecycling) does a great job of consistently posting a diverse pool of content.

#3: Be Consistent

Update social media pages frequently with content. Commit to posting with some regularity, such as two or three times per week. Hootsuite and other software allow you to schedule content to post automatically on a particular date and time.

 

#4: Update Page Profiles

Update the company profile page three or four times per year. In addition to the profile picture or logo, maintain up-to-date information for other pertinent details (Web site, phone number, media, etc.).

 

#5: Be a Follower

One way to get expanded reach on social media is to follow the accounts of others in the waste management sector. Comment on certain posts and engage with other companies by sharing their content to your social media pages. This will get your profile to an even larger audience.

 

#6: Engage with Followers

If your followers are responding to your content, be sure to respond back. Also, create content that encourages response, such as a call to action (share this, sign up, etc.) or asking a question.

 

#7: Use Web Site Traffic

Make sure people know where to find your company on social media. Embed social media buttons on your company site, allowing people to link directly to your media pages often and more quickly.

 

#8: Use #Hashtags

Hashtags are words or phrases preceded by a pound sign about a particular topic. They enable people to search for information quickly pertaining to a certain topic or event. For example, many waste management companies used #EarthDay to highlight various recycling initiatives. Hashtags are a great way to connect with an audience of people, who may not be following you. Hashtags are especially useful during large conferences. Many conferences create a special hashtag (ie.,  #Swanapalooza, ) for their events, so be sure to use the designated hashtags when sharing on social media during these conferences.

 

Expand Your Reach

Social media is definitely a useful tool for waste management companies. With the right strategies, your social media platforms can be low cost tools to help spread the reach and scope of your company. Which strategy will your company implement? | WA

Kandice Cole is a writer and consultant. She received her B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Education from the University of Chicago. She is fascinated with social media’s power to connect society. She currently resides in the Chicagoland area with her husband and daughter. Kandice can be reached at [email protected].

 

Social media provides a large platform to share about waste management initiatives, such as recycling programs.

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