KNOW THE KEY SOCIAL NETWORK
Whatever you’re interning, you’ll probably focus on a few key platforms: Twitter and Facebook for most business, along with maintaining a blog, but sometimes Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest too. Interning for a brand aimed at teens or twenty somethings means you’ll need to brush up on Snapchat, even if you don’t use it personally, whereas you’ll clock up the hours on Pinterest if your company targets women interested in crafts, interiors or wedding. Whatever the focus is, know each network’s best practice and, of course,#don’t #hashtag #every #word!
LEARN FROM SOCIAL MEDIA GURUS
Anyone who hasn’t worked in social media assumes it’s just a case of posting a few tweets and hoping for the best but no. That’s why even the most experienced social teams keep an eye on industry websites and try to learn from top influencers. Websites like Mashable and Social Media Examiner will be your bread and butter, so bookmark them now to pick up trends and buzzwords. Plus, look at case studies of crisis management on social media, to see how brands have survived bad publicity or online disasters. Recent uproars revolves around fake news stories shared on Facebook, and the disappointing new look of Toblerone bars.
CHECK OUT THE COMPETITION
Who competes for attention with the company? There should be a few stand out rivals in the market wherever you’re interning, be it a tech start up, a magazine or a bank. Check out any rival’s influential followers and watch how they engage with their audience. Success isn’t about copying what everyone else is doing, but you can learn from their examples.
NEGATIVE SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS
Find out which social media monitoring tools the company uses before you start your internship and you’re one step ahead. If you’re not sure, there’s no harm in trying some of the most popular tools on the market for scheduling posts and monitoring hashtags : Hootsuits, Buffer and Tweetdeck. The right tool will make your easier, allowing you to reach fans at peak times and keep track of your progress.
REVIEW THE COMPANY’S PROFILES
Work out which platforms benefit your company the most, and if there’s anything they could potentially do to interact with followers, such as posting more photos to their timeline, or ask questions to interact with people. Also, look at their. This is really important if your internship involves taking the initiative without many pre-existing guidelines or rules, or if you’re joining a large social media team, because it’ll be up to make things consistent.
EDIT YOUR OWN PROFILES
Ideally you should have removed any unflattering posts when you were applying for internships, but if you haven’t done so already, it’s time to take them down. Once you start interning you’ll be retweeting, liking and sharing content through your own accounts too, so your profile must be employer friendly.
DRAFT SOME CAMPAIGN IDEAS
Arrive with a few ideas on how to increase fans, followers and bran awareness – all useful to have as back up if you get quizzed during a team meeting. Look at bloggers, vloggers and influencers who could potentially get involved with the company.
Now you’re prepared for your internship, you can make the most of it and hopefully kick start your social media career. Good Luck!
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