4 Social Media Tips From a Major League Baseball Marketer

If you're not already using social media for business, chances are you should be. One of the blockers many businesses must break through is not knowing how to begin or maintain this virtual presence. Businesses may not know how to get people to follow them. Or maybe they're not sure what differentiates tweets from Facebook posts, or why, if they already have a website, someone should even turn to their social media presence in the first place?

At San Francisco's Inbound Marketing Summit in June, keynote Bryan Srabian explained the effectiveness of social media in the business world by exemplifying his strategies as the director of social media for the San Francisco Giants. He took what once consisted of simple Twitter activity announcing dates and line-ups one step further, and he has since achieved phenomenal growth.

"They're not just Klout-influenced numbers. They're real fans."

Here are 4 quick social media tips from Bryan Srabian's success.

1. Listen to Your Fans and Followers

It's important to spend more time listening, and less time broadcasting. Encourage interaction by asking and responding to questions. Treat participation in social media like you would customer service. Listening to fans throughout the day can serve as a powerful tool. Look at it as an opportunity to connect with your audience and develop positive relationships.

"Talking and reacting with our fans in that one-on-one engagement has really been key for us."

2. Be Open to Feedback

Let your followers know that you're interested in hearing what they have to say. Not everything you'll hear will be positive, but that's okay. Feedback is usually constructive criticism, and it can help tune you into your target customers' needs and wants, and ultimately, help you to improve your products/services. Encourage your fans and followers to start and engage in discussions using specific hashtags (#). That way you can easily follow their conversations and chime in as well.

3. Follow Trends

It's important to stay on top of news, trends, and conversations that may affect your business, you brand, and even just your industry in general. Make sure you're effectively monitoring your presence in social media. Look out for popular fan videos, awesome blog posts, and stories in the news that influence and/or feature your industry or company.

4. Give People a Look 'Behind the Scenes' 

Considering posting content such as like giveaways, quotes, and photos that cannot be accessed by anyone else but your social media followers. This offers some exclusivity tor your fan base, which adds value and motivates new people to follow you.

Have you used any of these tips in your own social media marketing? What other social media tactics can you share?